First of all, let me say "Happy Thanksgiving." I absolutely love this time of year for many reasons: friends, family, food, and football. It simply doesn't get much better.
That being said, I think we have the wrong idea about this whole Thanksgiving thing. Sure, we all know the story of the Mayflower, the pilgrims, the indians, and the first great feast on this soil. But is that the entirety of it? Just because the first people in what would be America ate we should too?
Well, yes. Believe me, I will not turn down any opportunity to buildup body fat for the winter by eating my weight in turkey and dressing. But the key here is the first part of the word: "thanks."
We are supposed to be thankful. Sounds simple, right? If so, then how do we forget that simplicity? On the last Thursday in November, we travel to our families' houses, eat, and fellowship together. But do we go around and say, "Cousin Ben, I am thankful for you"? Of course not. Though I am thankful for my cousin Ben, I do not openly preach my gratitude for him (and unless he reads this post, he still will not know.)
What we really do, however, is go into this holiday season with a wanting attitude. Right after we go through this day of thanks, we go shop all night and day for stuff we "just have to have." We see a pair of shoes, a rifle, a car that someone else has and we see ourselves lesser because we do not have those items.
Pretty ironic, right? Welcome to America. The land of the expensive, and the home of the greedy.
Now, I'm not one to preach on this, because well, I am a teenage girl and have always had to be "in style". I give much thanks to my parents for actually keeping me this long and not leaving me in a store on Black Friday to fend for myself. They didn't probably because they knew I wouldn't last long on chocolate and potato chips.
However, as I have grown older, I have begun to realize how greedy I was acting. In high school, I volunteered at a soup kitchen where I helped to serve lunch to homeless and poorer families. This experience was really humbling for me and helped me to realize that there is so much more to Thanksgiving that what I mentioned above.
Thanksgiving isn't football. It isn't food. It isn't shopping for deals. It isn't even simply friends and family. Thanksgiving is a time for humbling yourself and realizing how God has blessed you that year.
1 John 2:16 says, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world." Though we are given big homes, nice cars, and brand-name clothing, these "blessings" are things of this world. They are earthly matters. As I have always heard, "you can't take your belongings with you."
It's a scary thought, right? We have payed for these nice things, and now we cannot take them with us to the next life? I actually think it is a pretty fair trade. No, I can't drive my beautiful black Jeep Liberty into the pearly gates of Heaven, but once I get there, I will have a mansion built for me.
Isn't that amazing? We give up our material matters, and in turn we receive eternal life and a room in God's mansion that he has prepared for us.
See, we have no need to be greedy. We have no need to cling to the matters of this world. We have no reason to be vacuums, sucking up as much garbage as we can. Why not? We have far greater things to look forward to.
So, as we sit down at the table with turkey, dressing, and broccoli casserole (Lord, bless the broccoli casserole), let us remember what we are thankful for. Whether it be a new job, health, or passing grades (I am, after all, a college student), let us remember who blessed us with these things, and let us also be thankful for what promises there are to come.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. This is a wonderful week, especially since I get to watch my Dawgs beat Georgia Tech (who would have thought that I would ever say that?).
Wishing multiple blessings, football wins, and full tummies to you all this week!
-Emily
That being said, I think we have the wrong idea about this whole Thanksgiving thing. Sure, we all know the story of the Mayflower, the pilgrims, the indians, and the first great feast on this soil. But is that the entirety of it? Just because the first people in what would be America ate we should too?
Well, yes. Believe me, I will not turn down any opportunity to buildup body fat for the winter by eating my weight in turkey and dressing. But the key here is the first part of the word: "thanks."
We are supposed to be thankful. Sounds simple, right? If so, then how do we forget that simplicity? On the last Thursday in November, we travel to our families' houses, eat, and fellowship together. But do we go around and say, "Cousin Ben, I am thankful for you"? Of course not. Though I am thankful for my cousin Ben, I do not openly preach my gratitude for him (and unless he reads this post, he still will not know.)
What we really do, however, is go into this holiday season with a wanting attitude. Right after we go through this day of thanks, we go shop all night and day for stuff we "just have to have." We see a pair of shoes, a rifle, a car that someone else has and we see ourselves lesser because we do not have those items.
Pretty ironic, right? Welcome to America. The land of the expensive, and the home of the greedy.
Now, I'm not one to preach on this, because well, I am a teenage girl and have always had to be "in style". I give much thanks to my parents for actually keeping me this long and not leaving me in a store on Black Friday to fend for myself. They didn't probably because they knew I wouldn't last long on chocolate and potato chips.
However, as I have grown older, I have begun to realize how greedy I was acting. In high school, I volunteered at a soup kitchen where I helped to serve lunch to homeless and poorer families. This experience was really humbling for me and helped me to realize that there is so much more to Thanksgiving that what I mentioned above.
Thanksgiving isn't football. It isn't food. It isn't shopping for deals. It isn't even simply friends and family. Thanksgiving is a time for humbling yourself and realizing how God has blessed you that year.
1 John 2:16 says, "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world." Though we are given big homes, nice cars, and brand-name clothing, these "blessings" are things of this world. They are earthly matters. As I have always heard, "you can't take your belongings with you."
It's a scary thought, right? We have payed for these nice things, and now we cannot take them with us to the next life? I actually think it is a pretty fair trade. No, I can't drive my beautiful black Jeep Liberty into the pearly gates of Heaven, but once I get there, I will have a mansion built for me.
Isn't that amazing? We give up our material matters, and in turn we receive eternal life and a room in God's mansion that he has prepared for us.
See, we have no need to be greedy. We have no need to cling to the matters of this world. We have no reason to be vacuums, sucking up as much garbage as we can. Why not? We have far greater things to look forward to.
So, as we sit down at the table with turkey, dressing, and broccoli casserole (Lord, bless the broccoli casserole), let us remember what we are thankful for. Whether it be a new job, health, or passing grades (I am, after all, a college student), let us remember who blessed us with these things, and let us also be thankful for what promises there are to come.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all. This is a wonderful week, especially since I get to watch my Dawgs beat Georgia Tech (who would have thought that I would ever say that?).
Wishing multiple blessings, football wins, and full tummies to you all this week!
-Emily