Focus of thanks giving

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.