It is all about thanks-giving

Thursday is Thanksgiving Day. The celebration originated with the Pilgrims celebrating how abundantly God had blessed them; certainly something worthy of celebration.

Our blessings are even more abundant than those of the Pilgrims. But we are so used to how greatly we are blessed that we tend to lose sight of our abundance. Consider God’s many blessings. Paraphrasing the Litany of Thanksgiving for a shortlist:

…the beauty and wonder of His creation, in earth and sky and sea,

…all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ,

…our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,

…minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,

…health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,

…the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity,

…all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,

…the communion of saints, in all times and places,

…above all … the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As with many holidays, our culture has secularized and commercialized Thanksgiving. There is plenty of celebration, but little attention to God and His gracious giving.

Thanksgiving Day often leaves us tired, stressed, and a bit overfed. A return to a greater focus on thanking God can restore a wonderful spirit to our Thanksgiving Day. Saying thank you to anyone always uplifts our own spirit. Saying thank you to God is a blessing upon blessing.

Here are two ideas for Thanksgiving observations:

Start the day with your family in worship. Attend a Thanksgiving Day Eucharist, if one is available. Or observe Morning Prayer or Morning devotions at home. Those devotions can be as simple as reading the scripture and meditation from “Forward Day by Day,” praying the Lord’s Prayer, and reciting the Litany of Thanksgiving found on page 837 in the Book of Common Prayer.

At your main meal, start with a “blessing cup” observation. Use a simple chalice or wine glass. The head of the household leads the family in a brief reading of scripture, (consider Deuteronomy 8:17- Do not say to yourself, “My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth.”). Pray together the Lord’s Prayer. Pass the blessing cup and each person present drinks from it. Finish with any traditional family grace.

Continue Thanksgiving every day by living your life as a doxology. Doxology means to sing glory, honor, and praise. Remember the Doxology: “Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost?” How different each of our lives would be if our actions every day, especially our every use of our time, talents, and treasure, were doxology.

Mike Redpath