A Slightly Bah Humbug Take On Thanksgiving

"And when I give thanks for the seemingly microscopic,

   I make a place for God to grow within me."

~Ann Voskamp

To be painfully honest, my enthusiasm for the holiday is lessening. The idea of setting aside an entire day to gorge ourselves into food comas is slightly disgusting, if you really take it into consideration. We eat because we're hungry and then we eat even though we're not. I know what you're thinking, It's thanksgiving. Lighten up. So with that being said, I'll drop the negativity and press on to more pleasant things.

Thanksgiving is the practice of giving thanks. It's the bold letters marked on calendars to tell the world its time. Time to acknowledge the fact that there is a loving God who showers His blessings on the undeserving, that's us. Most people scarcely find the time to utter a short prayer of thanks before an ordinary meal, but on this day they make an exception. It is a common practice for everyone to go around the table, taking turns to state things they are most thankful for. The things you usually hear are simple. The everyday things. The things they know they take for granted. If you watch this practice take place, really look into the eyes of the ones speaking, breathing out gratitude, you'll notice something: it makes them glad.

What a thought, actually setting aside a moment to recognize blessing. Do you see what it does to people? It makes them happy. Excitement weaves its way into their faces, leaving contented smiles and eyes that see as if they were fully awake. It's a remarkable discovery. They found the treasure, the answer they've been craving for so very long. And then they leave it there, all that gold, that everlasting joy. Once the sound of their alarms rip through the silence, they slap it down, catching a short glance at the early hour it reads. They rush to the stores, pushing through crowds and screaming at strangers. Riots explode over fools gold; smart phones that will crack if met by accident and expensive shoes and clothes that will soon be out of style.

I'm not denying my own selfishness, the amount of times I grumble over circumstance or whine about how much better my life would look if I just had that, or if this one thing just wasn't there anymore. I preach to myself when I say, we are selfish. We are basically sleeping, half awake to what we should really be seeing.

Thanksgiving day can be ugly or beautiful, genuine or hypocritical. It can be a day of practicing what we practice every day, drinking in the wonder of God's grace and praising Him for His unfathomable goodness. Or it can be a day set aside for the single purpose of greed, indulging in fleeting pleasures that won't last, saying thank you when we don't really mean it.

If we resolve to give thanks every day, for all things, in every circumstance, then our hearts will always be full. We will see with eyes wide open and feel with hearts that aren't numb. The answer is thanksgiving, giving back to God with genuine gratitude, all day, every day, no matter what it costs us.

So happy thanksgiving, today, tomorrow and the next and every day after that. Feel free to share you're thanksgiving experiences in the comments below. I'd love to hear about the memories you made. As Bah Humbug as this post might sound, I really do love this day, this time of giving thanks alongside the people that put the color into our lives. What are you thankful for?