Enter his gates with
thanksgiving and his courts with
praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures
forever; his faithfulness continues through all
generations. Psalm 100: 4-5
Thanksgiving Day is not the beginning of the insane shopping season
that Christmas has become. It is a day to recognize our blessings and give
thanks. With the frenzy to sell more and be first to do it, Thanksgiving has
become more about who can get the doors open first and have the biggest bait
and switch hooks to lure buyers in. I can’t imagine anything more daunting than
shopping on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday, be it in a brick and mortar
building or online. I admire the shop owners who adamantly remained closed
Thursday so their employees could spend time with family. There are some
essential services that require people to work every day. Retail stores hardly
qualify.
Thanksgiving goes on throughout the year, not just the officially
dedicated day. When we forget to be thankful we also forget to acknowledge the
source of everything we have. Our blessings abound year around. Giving God
glory, praise and thanksgiving are part and parcel of who we are and what we
have. His blessings determine the richness of our lives whether we’re living in
a mansion on in more humble circumstances. Our actions and behavior are a
reflection of whose we are, not what we have. By sharing what we have through giving
to the church or charities or by our caring attention to the needs of others,
we are showing our gratitude. Sharing glorifies God and makes the most of who
he made us to be.
