The Weekly Epistle 11/24/21

Charlie Brown brings out Snoopy’s dinner on Thanksgiving Day. But it was just his usual dog food in a bowl. Snoopy took one look at the dog food and said, “This isn’t fair. The rest of the world is eating turkey with all the trimmings, and all I get is dog food. Because I’m a dog, all I get is dog food.” He stood there and stared at his dog food for a moment, and said, “I guess it could be worse. I could be a turkey.”
 
Being thankful has a lot to do with perspective, does it not?  I can bemoan what I don’t have or be glad for what I do have.  Even when trials come and life is hard, didn’t James say, “Consider it pure joy”?  Now that’s tough to do!   
 
Thanksgiving Day is upon us.  Should giving thanks be limited to a day?  Long before President Lincoln issued a proclamation that the last Thursday in November be a day of national Thanksgiving, God called all people to give thanks to their Creator.  Check out how often the word “thanks” and “thanksgiving” and “thankful” and the phrase “giving thanks” occur in the Bible.  Someone has noted that there are at least 140 references in the Bible to giving thanks.  
 
So instead of it being Thanksgiving, shouldn’t it be, “thanksliving”?  Shouldn’t our lives be characterized by thanks?  Let’s try thanksliving.  
 
What are some ways we can practice thanksliving?

• Saying “thank you” for a service done (the waitress, the cashier, person who holds the door for you, at the end of a family dinner, etc).
• Throughout the day ponder God’s goodness to you so that your heart is awakened to God’s good gifts.
• Become more aware with your own attitude of entitlement- thoughts like, “I deserve…” or “I should…” or “You owe me…”
• Write a note of thanks to someone (yes, with pen and paper).  A text or email expressing thanks can mean a lot too!  
• Look to serve others in a practical way.
• In those times you are forced to wait, let your mind count your blessings.

What ideas do you have?  How can you cultivate a thankful heart?  What do you need to commit to doing in expressing your thanks, not just on Thursday, but all year through?  
 
Tim Keller put it this way, “It’s one thing to be grateful.  It’s another thing to give thanks.  Gratitude is what you feel.  Thanksgiving is what you do.”
 
Happy Thanksliving!  
Pastor Brian