Midweek Moment

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day. A day that has been marked in many ways over the years. For some of us, it is marked as a time to spend with family, near and far. For others, it is day marked by watching massive amounts of football. Yet for others, it is day  to eat, and eat, rest and digest, and then eat a little more.

This year at our church's Thanksgiving Dinner, we tried something a bit different. It was suggested by members of the congregation, that they would like to see a little more "thanks" involved in this event. While they all loved the food and fellowship, they felt the thanks portion needed a bit more emphasis. We obliged, and I asked you all to send in pictures of events, places, and people that showed reasons why you are thankful. Consequently, we had some really wonderful pictures submitted. We then took those pictures and turned them into a movie that we played for everyone to see. It was really well received and I believe will become a fixture of our future dinners.

It seems sometimes that this holiday has become more and more about fulfilling our desires, with food and shopping deals, than about remembering to be thankful for all that we have and all that we have been blessed with by God. I have seen this sentiment expressed in this little saying making its way around the internet: "Black Friday: Because only in America, people trample others for sales exactly one day after being thankful for what they already have."

I think about my life, and I am so humbled. God has blessed me in so many ways, that I cannot even count them all. That is one of the main reasons Debbie and I are adopting a child. God has taken care of my family and I in such overflowing ways, this is one way we are responding. But there is so much more.

I encourage you all to take time this Thanksgiving, in your prayer time or around your Thanksgiving table, or both, and thank God. Thank God for all that you have and all that God has given you, and be specific. Name your blessings. I think you will find there may some blessings you forgot, or maybe some that were so wonderful you want to thank God again. But what I know is that in that time not only will you be thanking God, but you will be drawing closer to God. You may also find yourself drawn closer to others as well.

As United Methodists, we are called to be thankful, in all things. This year, I encourage you to discover or re-discover that heritage. Give thanks tomorrow, give thanks the next day, and remember, "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18, NIV).

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!