Thanksgiving: An Attitude, not a Day

Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.
H.A. Ironside

Today in the United States we enjoy a special day; a time set aside for us to be thankful for our blessings. Both today’s blessings, and those from the past. Yet our awareness of thankfulness often proves to be fleeting. 

Why? Because we may take what we have for granted. As we sit at a table full of food today, we often forget to be thankful that we even have any food at all. Most of us can fill the fridge and pantry with a quick trip to the store and without much worry…while so many in our world wonder where the next meal will come from. 

Isn’t it interesting that we tend to pay so little attention to the things we consider ordinary or usual? In a sense, we “hold out”. We reserve our expressions of thanks for the big things. The unusual blessings. And we forget that our daily bread actually is a consistent reason for giving thanks. 

And so, in our world of plenty, we may overlook the importance of daily thankfulness for the basic sustenance of life.

In addition, on the day after Thanksgiving, we usually get busy. We may become focused on “Black Friday” shopping. We may shift to thinking about decorations and parties and family commitments. We can become inundated with our upcoming plans and activities. 

And so, in our busyness, we may leave our sense of thankfulness behind. 

Even this special day of Thanksgiving, which is designed to help us re-focus, sometimes becomes just a blip in the midst of the busy “holiday season”. 

So this year I’m suggesting a challenge for us. Let’s try to live more in the moment. To stay aware of God’s presence even in the busiest of days. To thank God along the way for even what seems like little things, because even the little things…the routine things…have been provided by his hand.

To be thankful that we have eyes to see the beautiful world of fall leaves and their silhouettes. 

We have feet that take us down paths and move us to our destinations. And second by second, God gives us the breath of life.

What great reasons for thankfulness.

I want to cultivate a deep sense of wonder and thankfulness that I can think and write. I can read about gardening and theology and art. I even am able – as a woman made in God’s image – to talk with him. 

These great gifts are worthy of thanks; thanks to the God who showers me with these blessings. 

And as we live in the moment…as we pay attention to our moments…we will become more aware of the richness of God’s goodness to us. We will become more aware of all the reasons we have to be thankful. And a thankful heart will buoy our spirit.

Let’s resolve to not let Thanksgiving simply be the calm before the storm. Let’s take the meaning of Thanksgiving with us so we can lay aside our sense of urgency over the next 27 days. Let’s cultivate a daily attitude of thanks toward God. 

I encourage you to join me in this challenge and embrace the words of this prayer. 

Dear Lord, how quickly we may think to thank you today, on this day set aside for that purpose. However, tomorrow we may find ourselves in a very different place – a place where we feel compelled to do, to jam too many things into too little time, and to feel anxious about all that’s before us. 

I pray that those reading this blog can recognize when the daily agenda catches so much of their attention that they forget to be thankful for your gifts. Help them when they get sidetracked and distracted to hum a favorite Christmas tune, to read a short passage of Scripture, or say a prayer of thanks for an ordinary but significant gift in their lives. Help them to invite you to be a part of this present moment in their day. I pray this through the power of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.