Where’s Thanksgiving? Have you noticed it is missing? One second we are trick or treating and gorging ourselves on free chocolate, the next we are making Christmas lists a mile long. Don’t believe me? Go to the grocery store or to Wal-Mart or really anywhere. Where did Thanksgiving go?
I’ll tell you. Somewhere in some brilliant marketer’s office the powers that be decided it was more important for us to consume and completely disregard all that we already have. Clearly, it is their job to do this. Are we falling for it?
I firmly believe that the more you have, the more you want. The less you have, the more you appreciate it.
Don’t fall victim to the ‘wants’ of the season, and teach your children to appreciate all they have. A few nights ago my daughter stayed up late with me and watched The Pursuit of Happyness, a movie that came out a few years ago staring Will Smith. Rent it. Buy it. It may be the best thing that ever happened to my daughter. In two hours she learned how blessed she truly is and I thank God for that lesson. Since that point she has not said one word about Christmas gifts except to tell me she doesn’t need anything. Praise God!
I want to buy my children things. I want to see them smile. I don’t want to train them to only smile because I give them things. More than that, I want them to know how much they already have. I want them to understand how truly blessed they are. Knowing you are blessed is much more important than owning the latest fashion, the latest toy craze, or the latest new iphone.
Don’t forget to be thankful and remind others to be thankful, too.
We are abundantly blessed most of all for the love and grace of our Father and the sacrifice of His Son. What material blessing can ever fill the hole in our hearts that God’s love fills with His ever present mercy and faithfulness?
Thank you Father for our abundant wealth! Forgive us for hoarding and gorging ourselves on things that don’t satisfy. Thank you for all we have. Please help us to appreciate the excess. Thank you for a moment in time set aside to think about our blessings!
“Don't hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it's safe from moth and rust and burglars. It's obvious, isn't it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” Matthew 6:19 – The Message
Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Thankfulness is a lesson that we all need to learn. I know there are many days where I too get consumed with the "I wants" rather than with the "Thank yous". It's hard to maintain a focus on what's truly important.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.