Historically we think of Thanksgiving as a time of feasting. In the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims had been on American soil less than a year. During that time, over half the original colonists died from disease or starvation.
The Pilgrims hosted the first feast to celebrate life with their Indian friends and give thanks to God for His provision in difficult circumstances.
Today, for many, Thanksgiving has lost its significance. So this week is a good time to consider your blessings and celebrate with a thankful heart.
Following are ways to focus on giving thanks:
Be Open to Change
Often, we want everything to remain the same, but with time, comes change. Tradition holds us together, but tradition can also add stress. If circumstances warrant a new Thanksgiving plan, accept the difference. Put worry about logistics and change in tradition aside. Enjoy time with your family and friends even if the location, food, and number of people is different. Let tradition take a back seat to togetherness.
Consider What You Overlook
For some, Thanksgiving is a blip on the calendar, a holiday overlooked in the mad dash of Christmas. But giving thanks for life, health, and provision is at the heart of Thanksgiving. Has Thanksgiving lost its meaning for you? Are you overlooking people or blessings? Are you forgetting God’s grace and mercy?
Consider all you may be overlooking and give thanks. Ignite forward motion by replacing the overlooked with a new outlook.
Count Blessings
Last week, I got an email from a store in Bethlehem where we purchased olive wood carvings and jewelry in January of this year. Because of the war in Israel and Gaza, the store is closed, and the owners, desperate for income, are offering large discounts on items. This email reminded me of all whose income depends on tourism. With the advent of war, income suddenly comes to a halt.
Sometimes, we become so accustomed to all we have that we fail to realize how blessed we are and thank God for our abundance. A pandemic taught us a little about what it means to not have access to supplies, but consider those around the world for whom “doing without” is a constant way of life.
This year, we will observe Thanksgiving on Wednesday night at our son’s and daughter-in-law’s home. The grandchildren will run and squeal. We will eat too much. We’ll enjoy abundant laughter. We will sing the blessing as we always do. The day, place, and some of the food will be different, but the love and fellowship the same.
This Thanksgiving, focus on blessings and truly give thanks.
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving” (Psalm 69:30 NIV).
Did You Know?
- The first national Thanksgiving was declared in 1777 by the Continental Congress and celebrated in December.
- Sarah Josepha Hale, author and editor of Godey’s Ladies Book, lobbied the federal government to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday.
- Thanksgiving wasn’t observed from 1815 until 1863, when Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving. Since then, each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation.
- Puritan women wore a variety of colors, including red, green, blue, and purple, in addition to black, white, and gray.
- Puritan marriages were contract-based with a civil rather than religious ceremony.
- Squanto had been to Spain and England and served as an interpreter for an excursion to Newfoundland before the Pilgrim’s arrival in America.
- Sweet potatoes were not on the first Thanksgiving menu because they were not grown in America at the time.
©CandyArrington
Candy Arrington is a writer, blogger, speaker, and freelance editor. She often writes on tough topics with a focus on moving through, and beyond, difficult life circumstances. Candy has written hundreds of articles, stories, and devotionals published by numerous outlets including: Inspiration.org, Arisedaily.com, CBN.com, Healthgrades.com, Care.com, Focus on the Family, NextAvenue.org, CountryLiving.com, and Writer’s Digest. Candy’s books include Life on Pause: Learning to Wait Well (Bold Vision Books), When Your Aging Parent Needs Care (Harvest House), and AFTERSHOCK: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide (B&H Publishing Group).
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