Thanksgiving

Let’s Not Forget to be Thankful

/ kellyfbarr / 2 Comments

In the United States, the Thanksgiving holiday is a day where family and friends gather around the table and stuff themselves with foods like turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, among other things. They may take a few minutes to take turns around the table stating something they’re thankful for, but after the food, thankfulness is forgotten and the following day — Black Friday — they’re rushing around stores trying to take advantage of the sales to purchase gifts for family and friends for next month’s holiday, Christmas. Or, maybe they’re purchasing their Christmas trees, greens, and other decorations and preparing for the upcoming Christmas holiday.

So, Thanksgiving gets a nod, maybe a day or two, and Christmas gets a month of preparation — decorating, shopping, and gift wrapping, as well as Christmas parties, caroling, and other Christmas events.

But do either of these holidays get the attention they deserve?

We, believers/Christians, do not have many holidays to celebrate, and I know some people would argue that Easter and Christmas aren’t really Christian holidays, but pagan holidays and that we don’t know the exact dates that Jesus was born and died and rose again. As far as I’m concerned, that’s not the point. The point is that we should want to celebrate these holidays to spend time focusing on Christ because of what He did for us — embracing them for what they mean to us.

And, as for Thanksgiving, yes, I know that began when the pilgrims and American Indians celebrated a grand harvest together, but they were thanking God for that provision, and if we stop to think about all the things that we have in our homes, in our lives, we have those things because of God’s provision.

We should always take time to spend reading God’s word which is our guidebook for life. We should take time to pray — to speak with our heavenly Father — to thank Him for the many things He blesses us with: a talent and job that allows us to use that talent, a home and everything that’s in it, and our transportation — most of us have one or two cars in our driveways. But beyond the material things, He blesses us with food, good friends, and family, and hopefully, that includes a good church family where we go, not only to worship Him and hear his word preached, but also, to serve Him by serving in our church in some capacity.

In regard to all of this, we should be thankful, not just on Thanksgiving day, but everyday. We should be able to see at least one thing each and every day to thank the Lord for.

I hope you will give this post some thought and make thanking the Lord something you do on a regular basis, and next year, when Thanksgiving comes around, I hope you’ll be able to look back on the previous twelve months of the year, (from Thanksgiving this year, November 2023 to Thanksgiving next year, November 2024), and remember things you gave thanks to the Lord for.

This year, our Pastor has challenged us to write down our prayer requests throughout the year, and if or when we see God answer them, go back and write down when and how He answered. Then look back through that journal or tablet on Thanksgiving to see all the things God has done for you. I’m going to take that challenge, and I hope you will too. This should not only help us to have plenty to thank the Lord for on Thanksgiving, but it should help us establish a habit of Thanksgiving to the Lord.

Thanksgiving

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

Thanksgiving

by Kelly F. Barr

Red, Gold, Orange and Brown

Leaves floating to the ground.

The air is cool and crisp.

Turkey baking brings feelings of bliss.

Time again for a feast to share

With those for whom we care.

 

Art of children on the walls

Reminds of history’s call

Of pilgrims and Indians working in unity

To create a peaceful community.

Count your blessings one by one

From the rising to the setting sun.

 

Let thankfulness abound

Not just today but all year round.

Live with a thankful heart

And kind words to others impart.

Be sure to always express

Your feelings of thankfulness.

 

Thanksgiving

/ kellyfbarr / 1 Comment

Every year Thanksgiving gets more and more overlooked, and this year has been the worst so far in the area where I live.  I have seen lawns decorated and lit up for Christmas, Christmas trees fully decorated and lit in home windows and Santa Claus at the mall, all before Thanksgiving.  Now, the most shocking blow to Thanksgiving — K-Mart has decided to open at 6 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning and remaining open for 42 hours straight to attempt to make the Black Friday experience longer, and, hopefully, create a larger cash cow for themselves.  The saddest thing is that they are not taking their employees into consideration, and the thing that breaks my heart is that there will be people who leave their Thanksgiving meals and family get-togethers to go and shop.  Ugh!

Even those who do celebrate Thanksgiving seem to have forgotten what it is really about.  It has simply become a day for gorging on food and watching a football game.

What about God?  What about being thankful to him for the blessing he has given you?  What blessings, you may ask?  “I have worked hard to get where I am and all that I have,” you may say.  But consider, who blessed you with the physical health and mental and physical ability to do the hard work that got you were you are and what you have?

What about those who are still without work?  Will they be gorging on food this Thanksgiving?  Will they be warm?  Do they even have a home to live in?

What about those who are seriously ill or dying?  Are they alone?  Is someone who loves them hurting and grieving?

I imagine that, any of those that I have asked about above, would be thankful for warmth, food, a smile, a hug, a job, a home.

So, what do you have to be thankful for this Thanksgiving?

I am thankful that we made it through the many challenges that faced us this year.  I am thankful for my mother, whom I almost lost this summer.  I am thankful for a wonderful, loving family and church family.  I am thankful for two very, dear friends who accept me and care about me just the way I am.  I am thankful that we were able to take a wonderful vacation this year — a vacation that remains fresh and vivid in my mind, to a place I absolutely love and would seriously considering moving to.  I am thankful for my loyal and affectionate black Labrador Retriever.  I am thankful that my husband has a job, that we have a home and plenty of food to eat.  I am thankful for my nutritionist who is helping me to take care of me, for the first time in many years, in a way that I am finding much easier than any diet I have ever tried to follow.  I am thankful for the writers’ group that I am a part of and for my ability to write and to teach writing to some wonderful kids.  I’m sure there is more, but that is all I can come up with at the moment.

Don’t forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.  Take a few moments to be truly thankful, and have a blessed Thanksgiving.

A Time of Thanksgiving

/ kellyfbarr / Leave a comment

Turkey, stuffing, candied yams and pumpkin pie;

If you believe that’s all Thanksgiving is, you are believing a lie.

True Thanksgiving doesn’t only happen once a year.

True Thanksgiving should always be here.

Yes, a large meal is a blessing

And something others would appreciate even more, I’m guessing.

I have things to be thankful for each and every day —

Health, family, love, a warm place to stay,

And so much more!

I believe you, too, could come up with a long list, to be sure.