Give
Thanks
My
favorite Thanksgiving memory is Grandma who had a love-hate relationship with
the turkey. She would rise early on Thanksgiving Day to stuff the turkey with
homemade dressing. All the while she would be slapping that poor bird around muttering
in Polish words difficult to translate into English. Her turkey and dressing
were the best; a true labor of love.
I am reminded of a Bible passage from Paul’s
letter to the church in Thessalonica: “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in
everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” For a
guy who gets a bad rap for being too stringent for modern taste, he nails the
reason for the season.
It’s
difficult to pause from the rat race of life to reflect on the graciousness of
God. The only pause I am familiar with is the button on my TV remote.
Unfortunately, this national holiday has morphed into the starting gun of the
holiday shopping season. So much for taking the time to reflect on the bounty
of our gracious God.
There
is a song we sing in church at this time of year that captures the spirit of
Thanksgiving: “Give thanks with a grateful heart. Give thanks to the Holy One.
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.
And
now let the weak say, I am strong. Let the poor say, I am rich because of what
the Lord has done for us. Give thanks!”
When
I smell the aroma of the turkey cooking in the oven, I can’t help but pause and
reflect on the image of Grandma prepping the holiday bird. I thank the Lord for
those memories.
A
blessed Thanksgiving to you!
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