As the years go by, I become more aware of my many blessings. That may be why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. In my younger years I loved Thanksgiving for family and food. Oh, I was thankful for all the obvious things, but I had not lived long enough to learn how fragile and fleeting “obvious” blessings are. I am watching my friends, fellow Baby Boomers, gradually lose health, spouses, and even children. Jerry and I tell each other every morning, “We got another day!” After his brush with death a few years ago, we do not take
As I write these words, we have a granddaughter driving home from college on busy I-40. I have prayed Psalm 91 over her, thankful that God has given his angels charge over her. To have my loved ones under my roof and at my table is more precious than the crown jewels. My grandmother used to say, “I wonder how many more times we have to be all together.” I would fuss at her when she said it, but now I get it. When you are in your twenties time stretches ahead indefinitely.
The other reason I prefer Thanksgiving is the lack of commercialism, although that is now being tested. It is not about shopping or giving gifts. It is not about the making or spending of money, although prices at the grocery store can leave one with sticker shock! Thanksgiving is about gratitude for what I have instead of thinking about what I want or need. It keeps me God-focused rather than me-focused. It fosters contentment.
Psychologists who have studied gratitude have found that gratitude is directly correlated with life satisfaction, peace, and joy. Individuals who cultivate and express gratitude have fewer health complaints, reduced stress, and are generally less self-absorbed. Dr. Robert Emmons, the world’s leading expert on gratitude states, “The fabric of gratitude is deeply woven into the human experience.” He has found that there are two parts to gratitude: acknowledging the goodness in life and recognizing the source of that goodness.
Even if your Thanksgiving Day is not the picture perfect day you imagined, there is always something for which you can give thanks. Gratitude is more than a feeling; it is something you express. It is a discipline. Give it a try, even if you don’t feel like it. I know there are some who are experiencing deep pain this year. A first holiday with an empty chair at the table, fractured families, old hurts. I have spoken with you and I feel your pain. My suggestions: go for a walk and give thanks for legs that move and lungs that breathe fresh air. Notice the colors on the remaining leaves and give thanks for eyes that see. Start a gratitude journal and make five entries. If you can’t think of five, start with one.
I believe God created us with not only the capacity to experience gratitude but also the need to express it. Our Father knew that his children would reap psychological, physiological, and interpersonal benefits by cultivating a grateful heart. He does not need our praise; it is we who need to praise Him. I have noticed something in my own life. Maybe it is not a scientific fact, but it is something I have observed. The more I praise Him for His blessings, the more blessings I receive. Maybe that is not actually the case; maybe I am just aware of more of the blessings I already have. Either way, it fills my heart with joy.
I think there is something wonderful that happens with corporate praise when we thank him together with our families, our church families, and our nation. It binds us together. This year Jerry and I joined the prayer team at our church, I have noticed how we have grown close to the others on the team. Prayer does that. It brings us in touch with the things we have in common and directs our attention away from the things that divide us. That is why we need a National Day of Thanksgiving. When we gather
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits.
Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases.
Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion.
Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle. Psalm 103:1-5 (NASB).
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