This Thursday, Thanksgiving, is a day set aside particularly for giving thanks to God for:

●All we have.

●All the blessings we have received.

●All we have accomplished.

●All we have endured.

This day has a specific purpose — or at least it used to.

Is giving thanks what the day is still for? Yes. Is that what it is used for? Hmmm. Maybe not.

Weeks ago, I heard people planning to go shopping right after lunch on Thanksgiving; that’s when all the great sales begin. They plan to be out until the wee hours.

Many people plan to get in line early for Black Friday — the one day of the year retailers expect to make up for sagging sales the rest of the year.

I wonder if we will hear reports, once again, about angry, greedy people pushing and shoving in stores.

I wonder if we will hear reports about someone being trampled as the last big item is snatched up during a frenzy.

I wonder how many words of thanks will be uttered around tables that day.

Have you ever stopped to think that you might want something because someone else has convinced you that you just have to have a particular item?

Have you ever stopped to think that you have been masterfully manipulated by clever advertising?

Have you ever stopped to think that you already have plenty and do not need to be greedy for more?

The Bible tells us to give thanks to God for all his goodness. Jesus tells us to not store up treasures for ourselves on Earth, but to strive for God’s kingdom and his righteousness.

Alas, I fear those words will continue to fall on more and more deaf ears. But to those who will listen, be sure to give thanks for all the blessings you have received: friends, family, food, clothing, breath, the ability to love and be loved.

Do not worry about tomorrow, what you shall eat, what you shall drink, what you should wear. God knows your every need and cares for you.

May you have a happy day of giving thanks!

The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BROADHEAD: Remembering Thanksgiving's true meaning

Carols, crafts and cookies — how can you miss? Celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa with us at the Crestview Public Library

The 12th annual Noel Night begins at 6 p.m. and wraps up around 8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17.

Here's what to expect:

●Crestview High School's Chanticleer, led by Kevin Lusk, and soloist J.R. Lewis will fill the library with Christmas music.  

●We are making a Yoda ornament this year while supplies last.

●Scavenge the library for a certain Kwanzaa word and win a prize.

●You can also win a prize by playing dreidel.

●We may even have a surprise visit from — well, you’ll just have to see for yourself!    

All ages are welcome to attend Noel Night, and registration is not required.

We’d like to thank our Friends of the Crestview Library for baking yummy cookies and helping to make Noel Night free for you!

If you’d like to give back to your community, please bring a nonperishable item, and we’ll make sure it gets to Sharing and Caring.

Please call 682-4432 with any questions.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: NITZEL: Noel Night coming to Crestview library

You may be willing to plan an investment strategy for your retirement years.

After all, it can be enjoyable to think about traveling the world, pursuing your hobbies or participating in any activity you've associated with an active retirement.

However, once you do retire, you'll need to shift gears somewhat to focus on your legacy.

Specifically, to protect your loved ones and ensure your intentions are clear and carried out, you'll need to do some more planning — and you'll need to share your thoughts with your family.

Here are some moves to consider:

List your assets and debts. Your family needs to be aware of your assets and debts, so share this information with them while you are alive and well.

Create a durable power of attorney. Give a trusted friend or family member a durable power of attorney to pay bills and make financial choices on your behalf if you are unable to do so.

Choose an executor. An executor is the person or entity you name in your will to carry out your wishes. An executor has a variety of responsibilities, so pick someone honest and capable of dealing with legal and financial matters. Talk with an attorney about how best to name your executor.

Update your will. You might have written a will many years ago, but, over time, many aspects of your life may have changed. Review your will with your attorney to ensure it reflects your current wishes.

Review benefits of a living trust. A simple will may not be enough to accommodate your estate-planning needs.

You might want to consider establishing a living trust, which provides you with significant flexibility in distributing your assets and can help you avoid the time-consuming, expensive and public process of probate.

To create a trust, or other estate-planning documents, you will need to work with a qualified legal professional.

Review your beneficiary designations. The beneficiary designations on your financial accounts (such as a 401(k) or an IRA) and your insurance policies can even supersede the directions on your will, so it's essential that you update these designations to reflect events such as divorce and remarriage.

And make sure your beneficiaries have the facts they need to claim their benefits.

Share location of your legal documents. Your loved ones should know where you keep documents such as your birth certificate, will and living trust.

If you keep these items in a safe deposit box, tell your family where you keep the key.

Encourage two-way communication. It's obviously necessary to communicate your final wishes to your family members — but listen to their wishes and concerns, too.

For example, ask your children to agree on who gets those objects of special concern to them, such as furniture, mementos and heirlooms.

As you can see, you'll need to take several steps to fulfill your intentions — and the above list is certainly not exhaustive.

So plan carefully, engage the appropriate team — financial adviser, attorney, tax professional — and put your plans in motion.

By being proactive, you can greatly ease the burden on your loved ones in the future.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser.

Yvonne Shanklin, an Edward Jones financial adviser in Crestview, will sponsor the presentation, "Stocks: The Nuts and Bolts."

The seminar is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Nov. 19 at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 550 Adams Drive, Crestview.

Call Marcia Fleming, 682-2497, for more information. 

UPCOMING:

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: 8 moves to help provide an orderly estate

Agriculture is the production, processing and marketing of foods and fibers.

America's farmers and ranchers produce everyday household and business items from plant and animal products and byproducts. These include food, surgical sutures, lumber, tires, adhesives, shampoo, leather shoes and soft cotton clothes.

National Farm-City Week celebrates the "Partners in Progress" who produce the products, consume the products, and make them readily available through an efficient production and marketing chain.

Farmers and ranchers are just the beginning of that chain.

Farm workers, researchers, processors, shippers, truck drivers, inspectors, wholesalers, agribusinesses, marketers, advertisers, retailers and consumers all play important roles in the productivity that has made our nation's food and fiber system the world's envy.  

 Every year, as we celebrate Thanksgiving, let's remember the vital farm-city partnerships that have done so much to improve the quality of our lives.

Rural and urban communities working together have made the most of our rich agricultural resources, and have made significant contributions to our health and well-being, and to the strength of our nation's economy.

For this, we can give thanks.

This year, to celebrate National Farm-City Week, University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Okaloosa County Extension has teamed up with Okaloosa County Farm Bureau to collect and distribute fresh vegetables and foods for needy families, identified by a local church.

We will collect donations of money and peanut butter until Nov. 19. We will load all donations onto trailers and pull them down Main Street as we make our way to the Woodlawn Baptist Church parking lot in Crestview on Nov. 20.

Please help us celebrate National Farm-City Week with your donations. Donations can be accepted at these Crestview locations:

● 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, University of Florida IFAS Okaloosa County Extension office, 3098 Airport Road

●8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, Okaloosa County Farm Bureau office, 921 W. James Lee Blvd.

Call 689-5850 or email bearden@ufl.edu for more information.

Jennifer Bearden is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: BEARDEN: Crestview National Farm-City Week observance scheduled Friday