The psalmist wrote “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever”, Psalm 118:1. You know,Thanksgiving is probably the most underrated, under decorated, and under celebrated holiday in America. Halloween is approaching Christmas proportions with all of its decorations and lights, and once all those are put away, the Christmas frenzy takes over. The Christmas specials start playing on TV, and stores decorate their aisles with snowflakes and mistletoe, and people take the chance to hang those Christmas lights while there’s no snow. And it’s not all that surprising, really, that Christmas spirit can be pretty infectious. But unfortunately, giving thanks doesn’t seem to generate the same amount of enthusiasm. Thanksgiving’s barely a speed bump between these two contrasting celebrations of Halloween and Christmas. Now, with Black Friday sales invading Thanksgiving Day, this holiday is relegated to a short meal time, followed by hours of planning the shopping strategies of the Christmas season. Let me challenge you to rethink your idea about being thankful. I don’t know about you, but I can come up with a list of things I want for Christmas much faster than a list of things that I’m grateful for. I bet the same is true for your kids when we stop and think about how we pray. “God, please give me…” “God, Please help me” or “God, I need…” We get so tied up in what God can do for us that we forget how to be thankful for who He is and what he’s given to us. So this Thanksgiving, amidst all the mayhem of the butter balls and football, let me encourage you to take a minute as a couple to pray and write down a list of the things that you are thankful for this year. It could be your spouse, your children, your family, your home, or even the ability to buy a Christmas present. Remember, give thanks to the Lord for He is good. His love endures forever.
