Give Thanks!

Ah, Thanksgiving! I can't believe it's really upon us. This year has flown by, but with it, there are many things for which I am thankful. I find things in my every day life to be thankful for. The Lord blesses me continually. I see it, and acknowledge Him for the many blessings in my life.

It is so easy to get caught up in our own day to day lives and take the general little blessings for granted. I am speaking of the things He provides for us that we many times take credit for ourselves. I am speaking of things like, groceries on the table, clothes on our back, healthy families, close friends and a loving church family. I am speaking of our freedoms of religion and speech. All of which should never be taken lightly. It is so important to give God ALL the praise and glory for each and every one of them. Praise God from whom ALL blessing flow!

So, as I ponder the annual "Thanksgiving", I find myself going all the way back to the first Thanksgiving at Plymouth. When was the last time you thought about that? Was it yesterday? Was it last year? Was it when you were in grade school? Do you remember what that was about? Well, if you're anything like me, a refresher course may be in order! Again, how easy to get caught up in our day to day lives and let history and our culture fall to the wayside. Might be a good year to search for that information and share it with your family. It sure couldn't hurt. Who knows, maybe your grade-schooler could teach you something at the dinner table this year. Ask them about the first Thanksgiving. They would probably love to share what they've learned.

Then I think about the good old days. You know the ones I am speaking of. The days when you got to spend Thanksgiving morning watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade while your Mama cooked the Thanksgiving feast. All you had to do was wait for all the family and guests to arrive and show up at the table. Yes! THOSE were the days. Now those tasks have fallen to me and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade plays in the background while I check the turkey one more time and stir the gravy. But, I am thankful for the role I have earned and I cherish every single minute of it. It is a wonderful thing for my house to be the one full of people and the smell of Thanksgiving fare!

Always remember to find something every single day for which you can be thankful. It's not so easy for some.

My Mama was the crafty one. She was the girl scout leader, the Sunday school teacher, the Vacation Bible school leader. No, my name is not "the Beave" but my Mama was about as close to June Cleaver as a mama could get. She always planned fun activities around each holiday. She passed that tradition on to me. My boys used to love it. Well, they aren't boys anymore.........they are men. So, they don't enjoy this type of thing as much anymore, but they humor me and play along to spare my feelings. Have fun with this. Enjoy and be thankful for a minute to play.

What's on YOUR Thanksgiving table this year? Are you dining at your house? Are you traveling somewhere to celebrate the harvest with someone else? What are your family traditions? Is it turkey? Is it turkey AND ham? Is it stove top or homemade cornbread dressing? Do you stuff the turkey with the dressing or cook it in a pan separately? Do you even like cranberry sauce? Share your Thanksgiving traditions with me. I'd love to hear about them.

When was the last time you really took inventory of the blessings in your life? Are you filled with joy? So many, at this time of year, have a hard time finding joy in their life. Is there a neighbor or co-worker you could invite to dinner so they are not alone? Maybe your invitation to dinner or to church would be a HUGE blessing to them. I think He would want you to ask and I'm sure it would bring you joy!

In conclusion of this Thanksgiving message, I want to remind you what Thanksgiving is all about. It's really not so much about the turkey, dressing, or even the pumpkin pie. It's about thanking the Lord for our blessings. It's about family. It's about friends. Ultimately, it's about relationships with Him and our fellow man. I pray your day will be a feast of thankfulness enjoying God's abundant blessings and perfect peace.