Thanksgiving is almost upon us and, like Halloween, there’s some excess baggage that comes with it. For one thing, there’s the blatant commercial aspect. I don’t just mean Black Friday, though I’m certainly not fund of such, but within the celebration of the Holiday itself, there’s the expectation now of consuming more than we need. Second helpings are expected! I had a friend who skipped a meal just to be in peak consumption mode for the big turkey dinner. And does anyone know what pumpkin pie tastes like without already being full?
If you can’t tell, I like food a lot. I like cooking and I like eating and I have nothing against the occasional holiday splurge. But I’ve noticed that my attitude toward the holiday isn’t exactly thankful. I worry over turkey temperature and timing the potatoes and gravy. I dread conversation with certain family members (especially in an election year), and I wonder when it’s socially acceptable to lie down on the floor and fall into a turkey-laced slumber. To put a fine point on it: where’s the thanks?
Thanksgiving is a good holiday, maybe one of the greatest. It’s a time to look at the harvest of the year and to give God thanks for the blessings we receive. In an agrarian society, this would be the crop, but what does is mean in the Secret City? I think it’s a recognition that we still receive so much. None of us created the turkey we will eat. We did not raise the potatoes, grow the pumpkin, or anything else. And the only reason we could buy it was because someone valued us, and what we do, enough to give us money. Chances are, we learned our trade from someone. We went to school or learned from somebody. No one is born a landscaper or a physicist. The knowledge and skills are given to us. And that is why we are grateful. Because all that we have is given to us, ultimately, by God.
We had some opportunities last week to remind us of gratitude. On Thursday night at 6:30pm, the community gathered in our sanctuary to celebrate thanks together. On Sunday night at 5pm, we gathered around our tables and feasted together. It’s a celebration, but it’s also an exercise in gratitude. We bring little, but we will receive much. As for me, I’ll start with being grateful for a good community that gives me a chance to practice gratitude.
