Thanksgiving-What does it mean to you?

Happy Thanksgiving!

You can check out the cool facts and video about Thanksgiving here at one of my favorite websites, History.com.  I just learned about the tradition for our president at this time of year.  Pardoning a turkey, seriously... like we have nothing better to do.  But alas, we all need a little something funny in our days I suppose.

Now that you may have learned something you didn't know, let's talk about what Thanksgiving means.  It will mean something different for everyone of course.  Those of you reading this from outside of the United States you might have a local holiday that shows Thanks for a different reason. It may or may not have a specific day to celebrate like we do, but the concept is the same.  Giving Thanks for something.  Here is an interesting article I found with some of them.

When I was a kid we decorated for Thanksgiving, we did crafts of pilgrims, indians(and yes I know this term isn't politically correct) & turkeys, we had plays where we dressed up like those things.  Nowadays, it seems like we skip right over this holiday. Schools have Harvest Celebrations. Once Halloween is over we move right into the Christmas season.  When did Thanksgiving become a time when we all just decided to go shopping? 

Our society today is one that rushes from one thing to the next, without resting and taking in the day or the month or even the year.  Those of us, like myself, that want to slow down a little feel overwhelmed.  It's so hard to slow down in this day and age. I wanted to do something special this year for Thanksgiving with our kids, and before I knew it we were a few days away from it and I hadn't prepared anything.  Life just got in the way.

While I am writing this blog post my kids are home from school for the day and they are just playing Legos with each other and listening to music. They seem to know how to slow down and just have fun, I am very Thankful for that.

Here is a link to a free Thanksgiving Countdown printable.  I never thought about this before.  This is a cool idea and something that can used throughout the year, not just at Thanksgiving or whatever holiday you are giving thanks for around this month or when you read this post.

This year Thanksgiving comes with a special meaning for me, it's the year I received benign results from a biopsy.  It really does wake you up to the things for which you are grateful and thankful.  In the midst of the stress of waiting and trying not to worry, these types of things can bring us closer to God.  For me it made me realize how much I don't like to rely on other people and how much I need to in times like these, especially as I get older.

So this year, look around you and Thank God for all things in your life, the good and the not so good. 

I read a sign a couple of weeks ago that really hit home on this topic. 

Be Thankful for the things we take for granted for they are the things that other people are praying for.

After all, the pilgrims did come to American for religious freedom. If you aren't thankful for anything else, us Americans can still be thankful to be able to have religious freedom where in this world there are so many other countries that don't have this same freedom. If you aren't aware of this then check out my post on Voice of the Martyrs. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Here's a little something from Johnny Cash, it's old school but it's good.  Sometimes going back to the good old days is needed to put things into perspective.