The season of thanks is upon us! How thankful are we? Some dread this time of the year as it is the beginning the Christmas season with all its hustle and bustle. Some dislike it due to having the get together with their family. The family scene has changed over the years as families have gotten more extended to include step-parents, step-grandparents, step-children as well as our parents, grandparents and children; sharing of the kids due to custody issues and visitation rights. To some, the holidays represent pain and sorrow; while for others, it is a hassle to deal with ‘ex’s’ or just family in general. Then, for others, Thanksgiving is a time of gathering and reminiscing around a traditional dinner table. I love this time of the year. It brings back fond memories of my childhood gathering at my grandparent’s house in northern Wisconsin and spending the week with my cousins while all the men went deer hunting. I love gathering with family at Thanksgiving. We all have Thanksgiving memories, good and bad, but are we celebrating this holiday in the true spirit of the day? This day was set aside and became a National holiday in 1863 and in 1939 President Franklin D Roosevelt declared the fourth Thursday in November as the day of observance. It was intended to be a day set aside from everyday life in which to give thanks to God for His many blessings.

Our world is changing and trying to remove the existence of God from our country. Thanksgiving is becoming known as ‘Turkey Day’. Really? That is a far cry from Thanksgiving. God has been so good to this country and blessed it with prosperity. We have so many things to be thankful for. Yet, we live in a thank-less generation; a ‘give-me’, ‘I deserve this’, and ‘I’ve worked hard for this’ generation. Little thanks is given to our Creator. We have what we have by the blessings bestowed on us by God. Let’s not forget the One who died for us that we might live. Let’s remember to thank God for the blessings He’s given us: our families, friends, shelter, jobs, a free country, our military and provision. Sometimes it is a sacrifice to give thanks. Our circumstances sometimes look bleak and we don’t feel very thankful. I Thessalonians 5: 18 exhorts us to give thanks in everything as this is the will of God concerning us. Note, it doesn’t say FOR EVERYTHING, but rather, IN EVERYTHING. God has a plan for our lives and sometimes we don’t understand why we are going through some things. Be thankful, God is still on His throne and He is still in control. He knows where you are, what you are going through, where you are headed and the plans He has for you to give you an expected end. He is a good God and all He does is good. O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good! This year, let’s give God thanks and truly celebrate this holiday with a thankful heart.

email address: wofl@wofl.org