Thanksgiving - vs ThanksLIVING!

You have a good point. It is kind of like being on your best behavior on Sunday then your normal self the other six days. We should be thankful for every breath we take. We should always be thankful for Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us. There are so many things we take for granted, our health, material well being, our families, our jobs, etc, any of which could be gone in the twinkling of an eye.

Not to get off subject, but I do want to say something about the relationship of Halloween and Thanksgiving from say forty or fifty years ago. When I was growing up (in Gulfport, MS) in the 50s and 60s, Thanksgiving was perhaps the second most talked about, celebrated, and prepared for holiday on the calendar. Halloween was a footnote that not much attention was paid to until a few days prior. We dressed up, went out to get candy, without parents, and came home. End of story.

Today, our whole mindset about holidays is driven by retail models and corporate marketing statagies to make a buck. One will notice that Halloween and Christmas decorations come out about the same time in early August. (unbelievable). Halloween is promoted, anticipated, and planned for almost three months, and Christmas five months. Halloween has become watching movies so violent that one cannot bear to sit through them. The movies have thought of every imaginable way to kill and mutilate a human body from zombies, vampires, were wolves, ghosts, and other mythical creatures. Parents feel the need to go trick or treating. Churches cancel Wednesday night Bible study to celebrate Halloween. Halloween rivals Christmas in preperation and money spent.

Thanksgiving has become a blip on the radar, because again, the money is tied to Christmas. There is no money to be made for Thanksgiving. In other words, from fifty years ago, Halloween and Thanksgiving have switched places of prominence. But do not fear, Christmas will come to the rescue to profits of the corporations A true picture of the Gospel no doubt. I never did understand why the accounts of the birth of Jesus in Matthew and Luke left out silver bells, flying reindeer, chestnuts on an open fire, trees with lights, the little drummer boy, missletoe, and a partridge in a pear tree.

 

AMEN!

With EACH sunrise and sunset -- Thank you Lord, for another day. Another day and opportunity to do Your will and to give You the glory. Thank You for Your many blessings I've received (will receive) this day.

At least twice a day, everyday, 365 days a year.

 

At a recent prayer meeting, I heard the air conditioning system kick in while we were in prayer. Gave thanks to our Lord that we can flip a switch or press a button and receive blessings that aren't available to so many in this world.

We have so many blessings that go un-noticed by so many today. I still remember the days of wood cookstoves, water buckets, and oil lamps before REA brought power lines to our farm. It is a blessing to turn a tap for water, press a lever to flush, flip a switch for light, and press a button for a warm/cool home. To eat a chicken leg without having to pluck feathers first or dig potatoes from the ground before munching on French fries.

Growing up, there was almost no emphasis put on Halloween. We didn't go trick or treating because our parents didn't think it was right to impose on our neighbors. A few times we went to the PTA Halloween Carnival fundraiser. A few kids and adults wore homemade costumes and maybe a paper mask.

The crowd for Bible study last night was smaller than usual. Missing were parents and grandparents. To be blunt, greed took priority over our Lord. It's sad :tear: when parents say they can't come to Bible study because they HAVE to take their children to beg for candy. And/or fulfill other commitments to the church for the same reason. What are they teaching their children about Lordship? What are Christians telling the unsaved in our community when Christians knock on their doors while holding plastic pumpkin buckets?

I'd better get off that line of thought before I say too much.

One of my most fond memories of my Mom revolves around Thanksgiving. I like to cook. It became a tradition that I'd arrive early and spend the day with her, helping to prepare the family feast. By the time the rest of the family arrived, we'd had the opportunity to spend hours of quiet time in each other's company. Those memories are important because the last Thanksgiving with her was spent in the hospital, as the Lord called her home before Christmas.

Thank you for letting me share that with you.

 

And thank you for that story. I love to hear from years before me. You must be about ten years older. In summary, I guess one could say that Halloween and Thanksgiving have switched places over the last fifty years.

 

RD2, Those are excellent thoughts. Thanks for sharing. Your post lifted my spirits and reminded me exactly what we should be focused on--not politics, not the storm, not the economy--but on living for Christ no matter what. Thank you for that.