Thanksgiving
has become somewhat of an out dated holiday.
It has been reduce to a speed bump on the way to the guy in the red suit
and talking snowmen. Though, I love that
season because people genuinely seem friendlier, as long as you both aren’t
shopping of the same last minute gift. It’s
funny how the idea of saying thank you is strange. Our presented theme for this morning is ‘For
what are we thankful’. Hmmm, let’s think
about that for a moment. Thankful can be
defined as expressing gratitude.
Gratitude can be defined as the quality of being thankful. But to be grateful is to feel or show
appreciation of kindness or thanks. I
humbly suggest that we ask ourselves for what are we grateful.
It
seems to me that we often say thank you for things that we are glad happened,
but we would be okay had it not. We
express gratitude for things that we are glad happened and would not have been
okay without. I used to think I was
thankful for having a car, but I recently learned I am grateful. My car recently died in the middle of morning
rush at the toll plaza. That was the
first of several incidents that involved me, a tow truck guy, and a
mechanic. Now, each time I get in my
car, I am grateful. Each time I safely
make it to my destination, I am grateful.
I am not just thankful, but I feel that thanks.
There
are so many people I am glad came into in my life. However, there are only a handful that I am
grateful came into my life. People that,
if I lost them, my heart would ache.
People that have changed my life in some shape, form, or fashion. For them, I am grateful. In our would of smartphones, apps, and social
networks, human interaction is rapidly on the decline. That makes me even more grateful for those
special people in my life. As someone
who lives alone, I am thankful that technology connects me to people. However, I am grateful to have people to
connect with.
Gratitude
keeps me humble. It reminds me that
there are some people who don’t have the things or people I do. Not everyone has a car. Not everyone has friends and family that care
for them. Not everyone has a guaranteed
next meal. Not everyone has stable
employment. For these things, I am
grateful. As we rush toward our gift
giving holidays, may I suggest that we take an intentional pause and be
grateful for those we are rushing out to spend money on. In the end, it’s not about how much time we
spend choosing a gift, but rather realizing that our time is the gift.
Let
us remember to offer our thanks and gratitude for those things and people that
enrich our lives beyond measure.
Well written.
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