Thanksgiving... ahh, Thanksgiving. It's that wonderful time of year when the world begins it's sprint of complete insanity, which is the "shopping season" that leads up to Christmas. It's the time of year when people who are suspected of being normal, shed their disguises, put away their projected images of coherency and burst forth with their lunacy on full display.
I watched the news the other night and they ran a story about a perfectly normal "looking" lady who had pitched her tent on the sidewalk of a major electronics retailer on Monday preceding what the retailers have appropriately dubbed, "Black Friday", so she could make sure she was the first one through the doors when they opened at 4:00 am. I mean come on... does the word "compulsive" mean anything to you?
What would be an even more interesting news video would be a clip of what would happen if someone dared to cut in front of the sidewalk camper in an attempt to get in the store ahead of her on Friday morning... now THAT would be video worth watching.
I think what grieves me about this holiday, is the fact that people forget the TRUE meaning of this observance, and see it as a day when you get yourself prepared to rush at breakneck speed into self indulgence and financial oblivion.
From a purely personal standpoint, Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of the year. It's a time to spend with loved ones and family. It's a time of breaking bread together and sharing in the fellowship of thankful hearts.
It's a day of almost non-stop football, which is always a good way to crank up a good debate. It's a day filled with guilt free eating... and a day when extra special care is given to the food, which is delicious and plentiful. It's a day when everyone scrambles for the perfect spot to take a nap after the meal, which is considered perfectly normal AND acceptable. It's a day when repeated trips to the fridge during the afternoon and evening hours is encouraged and, quite frankly, a necessary observance... after all, NO ONE can get around to EVERYTHING at meal time. It takes several trips to get it all sampled.
I love Thanksgiving... and yes, now that I think about it... it IS my favorite holiday. It's kind of weird, though, because to be honest, I don't think I'm any more thankful on the last Thursday of November, each year than I am the other 364 days. It doesn't matter which Thursday of the year it is, I'm thankful for so much... so many blessings God has given me. Every single day of the year, I'm amazed at God's grace, His mercies, and His love... and I AM thankful.
I'm even thankful for the man who decided a day of Thanksgiving would be appropriate and fitting for a nation so blessed by the Lord of Hosts.
Abraham Lincoln wrote this proclamation, establishing this national holiday.
"The year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God... I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens."
It is clearly evident, at least to me, that the man who was leading this nation at that time, and who established this "day", had profoundly established an "attitude" of thankfulness within his own heart. A man who KNEW the source of all blessings and was openly and unashamedly grateful to God. Gee... I miss that in our national leaders today.
Maybe what we as Christians should do, is crank up the prayer another notch, and spend more time working on our "attitude" of thankfulness instead of falling into lockstep with the world's view of this very, very special day. But then, HEY... "It's Just A Thought".
Lois and I hope YOUR Thanksgiving Holiday is truly blessed of God. May you laugh till your sides hurt; eat till you're miserable; sleep till you're really rested; and may YOUR team win by a landslide.
Be blessed in Jesus' Name;
Pastor Eddy and Lois.
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