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Do you ever feel like a holiday just comes and goes without you even realizing it? If you could just take another couple of days to prepare yourself for what it is and what it means, you’d feel much more fulfilled when it was over rather than remorseful that you just missed all of the specialness by a smidge? That’s how I usually feel about Thanksgiving.
I love the holiday, what it means, its heritage and overall purpose, but I always seem to miss the full benefits of it by just a little bit. Oh, I’ll picture the Pilgrims and the Indians sitting around their feast. I’ll list off all of the things for which I’m grateful on that fourth Thursday of November, but then the next thing I know I’ve moved on to pulling out my Christmas lights while finishing up my Christmas shopping. I’m beginning to wonder how much more meaningful Thanksgiving would be to me if I put as much thought into preparing for it as I do for Christmas Day.
What if I spent time focusing on empathizing with the originators of the holiday? We think times are tough in the days of a recession, but come on now. Those men in the goofy hats had far more to stress about than their 401Ks. Those mamas were feeling a level of grief and exhaustion few of us ever will. Meanwhile, I scan the ads for who has the cheapest turkey and try to narrow down my favorite fall desserts to add to the menu.
So I’m making an effort to move past the busyness that assaults our stores, streets, and planners for the remainder of the year. I’ve been praying that God will give me a new perspective on Thanksgiving and gratitude as this holiday approaches, and to be honest, I’ve been enlightened in some areas I never before considered.
Check in tomorrow for part of what I’ve been learning. Be sure to subscribe by email if you’d like to hear more about my journey into this Thanksgiving. Just add your email address to the box in the top right margin.