What is Thanksgiving, really? What is Thanksgiving if not a time to stop and thank our Heavenly Father for his bountiful blessings on us? I have a strong feeling that many years ago, as this nation was being birthed, it meant a great deal to those who celebrated coming through a rough winter, sickness, and much death.
They came into a sweet spring and a great autumn harvest with new native friends. Yes, Thanksgiving meant something then.
Now as we enter the shops in early October and are greeted with autumn hues, cornucopias, and scarecrows we may think that Thanksgiving means something to modern Americans. Seems to me, though as October 31 passes, along with the little witches, goblins, maybe even a Spider man, and Darth Vader passing by our home in search of candy, down go the autumn decorations and speedily they are replaced with evergreens, lights, Santa and his reindeer.
I?m not against Christmas, especially when taken in its Christian context. But what is Christmas, if not a time of giving thanks as well? So this year, (I know I’m coming a little late to ask this) but even if you consume your Thanksgiving turkey around a Christmas tree, take time to remember to be thankful before running to the early morning Christmas sales. In the rush of what we now sometimes only call the Holiday Season let us take time to look at the holidays individually. Let’s take time. Let us have a time of thanks giving unto the Lord. Then, let us thank him for coming to earth in a meaningful Christmas celebration. Let us remember what all of this means.
Cheryl Orten is a member of Star of Bethlehem Apostolic church in Ilsley, Ky where Bro. Monty Fuller is the Pastor.
