Most people love song birds. They enjoy the birds’ pretty colored feathers. They like watching them flit from branch to branch. They savor their beautiful songs.
However, not many people think much about Turkeys. Ben Franklin was probably the most notable exception. Mr. Franklin would have preferred to have the turkey as our national bird. In a letter to his daughter, Ben Franklin wrote, “For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America... He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”
While the turkey was passed over as the national bird of the United States of America, (the Bald Eagle got that honor), the turkey is the fowl of choice for most American Thanksgiving Day dinners. Turkey is roasted and served with a wide range of sides and desserts. Pictures of turkeys, along with Pilgrims and fall-colored leaves, acorns, and shocks of corn are used to decorate houses and classrooms for the fall and Thanksgiving season.
One such popular children’s Thanksgiving craft is a “hand turkey.” To make a hand turkey, place your hand on a sheet of paper and trace around it. Then, draw a face on the thumb outline for the turkey’s head and color the palm and four finger outlines to make the body and tail feathers.
We can change this hand turkey into a “prayer turkey” to remind us to pray and thank God for His blessings to us.
How?
Inside each finger outline write one of the following: salvation, family, friends, provision, God. Hang your Prayer Turkey on the refrigerator, bathroom mirror, or other place where you will see it often. Each time you look at your Prayer Turkey, thank God for each of the things written on the feathers & head of the turkey.
I hope you enjoy making a prayer turkey and using it to “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever.” (Psalm 136:1).
Let’s pause to pray together. Heavenly Father, thank You for all the blessings You’ve given me. Thank You for simple things, like the prayer turkey, that remind me of those blessings. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Related Scripture:
Psalm 136:1-9 –
“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords: His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders, His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens, His love endures forever. who spread out the earth upon the waters, His love endures forever. who made the great lights— His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day, His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night; His love endures forever.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18 – “…give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Psalm 7:17 – “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”
Psalm 136:26 – “I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness
and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.”
1 Timothy 4:4 & 5 – “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.”