We are on the brink of Thanksgiving. It is my favorite holiday because it’s all about food and family. It’s a beautiful time of year, even if outside the window it’s blowing and snowing.

But this holiday does not come trouble-free or without dashed expectations. Sometimes it even comes with dry turkey, lumpy gravy, burned potatoes and an argument over whether whipped topping is just as good as real whipped cream. (Just so you know, whipped topping is not as good as real whipped cream … but they are both good on top of any kind of pie.)

Before you dive into your holiday planning; before you put on your make-up, plug in your flat iron, pull out your hair dryer, pull on those jeans; before you face the struggles of making sure the turkey is thawed and preparing for a family event that seemingly will want to defeat you and suck you into a mindset of negativity and polarization – stop and realize, it’s okay. If your table isn’t a Pinterest lookalike or if your dishes don’t match. No matter if your potatoes come from a box and your gravy from a can. If green bean casserole doesn’t taste like Grandma’s and you run out of coffee. It’s okay. That’s life.

You are still an amazing creation of the one who created the mountains, the seas and everything on this Earth. Take a breath and think about this; think about who you are. The beautiful creation you are. The intellectual strength you possess. Think about the gifts you harbor right inside of your soul. Think of the confidence you can have knowing your mom chose life and wanted you.

Think about the people in your life who adore you, the last person who told you they loved you. Think about how amazing you are even with your mistakes, set-backs, wrinkles, bad hair days, smudged mascara, beer belly and flabby arms.

Look at all of that and let this sink in: God is crazy about you. Whether you believe in Him or not, He’s still absolutely adores you.

Now, as you prepare for this holiday, doing what you do, think about all you have and all you have to offer. And I challenge you, you wonderful creation, to look for one way to give back today. Big or small, give something to someone today. Because that person you’re giving to – God is crazy about them, too.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World.