Thanksgiving: A Lifestyle Choice

Thanksgiving Lifestyle

A beautiful table setting

 All the homey lifestyle magazines, blogs and websites are cranking out holiday posts, links and pages now at an alarming rate—trying to get you geared up for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  

There is no lack of ideas circulating!  Take your pick of themed holiday meals:  recipes for the most extravagant / easy-going / traditional / non-traditional / vegetarian / fat-free / preservative-free / free-range / brined / gluten-free / politically-correct / inexpensive . . .

And decorating ideas for the interior and exterior of your home using pinecones, garland, clippings from your own trees, acorns, gourds, pumpkins of every size/color/shape.    Don’t pass over the patterns for hand-made gifts and crafts and place-name holders and napkin rings and hostess gifts and guest favors and . . .

All of this (of course!) is meant to inspire you, so that you in turn can inspire your family and all your guests to a higher consciousness of holiday spirit.    Before it even starts, most of us are ready to pass out on the couch and eat leftovers!

Pulled in thirty-thousand different directions at once, rushing  here and there—all the while feeling out-of-sorts because somehow even though this is all good stuff to do, most of us don’t have the time or money or patience!    

Please join us in giving thanks!

And certainly since I am SUCH an awesome cook and have a slew of really good (five star) Thanksgiving recipes, I crank out a list of recipes you “simply must try.”    And with the holiday decorating tricks up my sleeve, I could load you up with those, too.  

But I’m not going to do that, dear Friend!   Nope!

You probably already have a really long To Do List staring you in the face.  You don’t need another project from me!    But I do have something you need and want (although you may not yet realize you want this—but trust me—you do!).

Instead I’m going to share something else with you that will remind you of the motivation for that big Thanksgiving feast—and hopefully put you in mind of the reason for the coming CHRISTmas season.

What is this awesome-ness that will make your holidays 

more full, rich, delightful and meaningful? 

Nothing more than some TRUE inspiration.   The spirit of thanksgiving …. a few quotes from my all-time favorite book and a couple of brief comments.  

Here’s a quote/passage that bears consideration:

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

since as members of one body you were called to peace.

And be thankful.”

Colossians 3:15

Go ahead and read that again.   Try saying it out loud.   Pause at that comma and those periods. 

You’ve been called to peace.   THEN be thankful.  

And you probably are thankful, aren’t you?   

When dear hubby opens the door or the neighbor kid snow-blows 10-inches from the driveway.  

The colors are so inviting!

And you’re thankful because hubby has a job—maybe even a really good job!—and the children are healthy and how great is it to have electricity and drinking a cup of cappuccino in front of the fireplace and that Gutenberg invented the moveable font printing press and food to eat and family safely arrived through the bad snowstorm.   Yeah!  God really IS good!

You can probably name 25 more things for which you’re thankful.

You’ve probably even been thankful when a muddy-from-head-to-toe preschooler smiled sweetly, offered a hand-picked bouquet of flowers, and lisped “I love you Momma.” Or when you saw a worn-out soldier walk through an airport newly home from a tour of duty and his young wife and several small children rushed joyfully to hug him a welcome home.   Or when the wrapping paper revealed the most-wanted gift of all time.  

Thankfulness bubbles up, smiles break out, and appreciation flows from a heart truly touched.

“Devote yourselves to prayer,

being watchful and thankful.”   

Colossians 4:2

Do you WATCH for opportunities to give thanks?   Are you thankful when it rains on your picnic?   When your son smashes and totals your car?   When you’re staring at the ceiling feeling like you’re going to throw up?  

Are you thankful when the car gets a flat-tire on a frigid winter afternoon and you realize your gloves are laying on the counter back home along with your cellphone?    When your new job requires you to move hundreds of miles from family and home-so-dear?   

That's cranberries & grapefruit - total deliciousness!

Are you thankful when you wake up at 3 a.m. for the third night in a row and anxious thoughts pop into your head and the clock keeps track of every minute of wakefulness?    When your baby has a poopy diaper that schmushes up the back of her onesie?   When the dog meets a skunk and brings home memories of the lovely exchange?

Ouch!  

Do you think during those rainy days “Thank you so much, God, for sending me this challenge and giving me a chance to show how much I trust in you.   And, Lord, thank you for reminding me how much you love me.”

Nowhere in all of Scripture are we told that things are going to be easy for us, like an “easy” button the office supply company commercials!   In fact, it’s just the opposite!

So, look at those situations again.   The skunk-fragrant dog?  The smashed car?   A new job far from loved ones?   A flat tire?   These are opportunities to sing God’s praises.   Really!  

Of course, our sinful nature resists seeing that God is—indeed—in control and knows exactly what is best for us at this moment in time.  

That darling baby in the poopy diaper—she sees you as the center of her little universe—“It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”  (Colossians 3:24b)   

Relocating for that new job so far away from friends, perhaps there is a co-worker whose life will be touched by your willingness to speak about Jesus—and at Eternity you will hear Jesus say “Well done, good & faithful servant.”  

Those 3 a.m. wake-ups may turn out to be the perfect time to open your Bible and hear what God has to say to you for the day ahead.  Like the words of Psalm 77:12:  “I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds.”   

The flat tire on a cold winter eve—maybe God wants you to slow down?  I KNOW God has a plan—because He tells us so in the Old Testament:    in the book written by the prophet Jeremiah (chapter 29, verse 11-13):

“For I know the plans I have for you;

plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

plans to give you hope and a future. 

Then you will call upon me

and come and pray to me,

and I will listen to you. 

You will seek me and find me

when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

Count the number of promises in there!   That’s amazing—that He will do all that for us!

And in the New Testament the apostle Paul writes:

“Let your conversation be always full of grace,

seasoned with salt,

so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Colossians 4:6

Can we dig in now?

We live IN the world, but we should be different FROM the rest of the occupants here.   Our response—in good times and in bad should be the same.   Trust God.   Praise God.  Thank God.   Believe God.   Turn to God.   Seek God.  Walk with God.  

And when unbelievers or newbie Christians or young believers see you convey thankfulness in all situations (instead of anger, spite, animosity, fear or worry), they will may pause and ask what it is that makes you different from the rest of the world.    And there—you have an opportunity to share the Gospel with a new friend or your own children!

The response during good and bad times is the same: 

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart,

as working for the Lord.”  

Colossians 3:23

The way you live out the Gospel in your life—being thankful in all situations—will win more souls for the Lord.    It isn’t always easy, especially at first.  

"He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast."

 Proverbs 15:15 KJV

Thanksgiving 2009

Yep.  Bad stuff happens.   Give thanks anyway!   At all times.  In all places.   In every circumstance.

You are a redeemed child of God.   Jesus died for you.   He took away every sin you’ve ever committed (past, present, future).  

Give thanks no matter what’s going on in your world.   You do—after all—have the greatest reason of all to live continually in a state of thanksgiving.  Day in.  Day out.  For the rest of your life.  

You have a peace that no one can take away—no matter what’s going on around you!

Overflowing with Thanksgiving

Overflowing with Thanksgiving

While you’re looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with family & friends, stop for a moment and remember.   Remember those loved ones far from home—keep in touch and say thank you!

She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 

 Proverbs 31

Most of us have no trouble saying “thank you” as we’re standing at the door of a friend’s home after an evening of food, fun, and fellowship.   It’s almost like we don’t want the evening to end, so we say “thanks again” and the host or hostess blithely accepts our gratitude.   This may even happen a few times as we head down the front steps to the car in the driveway.   We turn back and wave, and shout another “thanks for a great evening!”   

When we finally get into the car, the warm feelings of a wonderful evening wrap us in warmth and good feelings.   We even say to our spouse, “we really should do this more often.”  The children in the backseats regret leaving their little buddies (and the toys!), “I had fun tonight!”  

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord,

continue to live in him,…and overflow with thankfulness.”

Colossians 2:6-7

And so it goes.

How about saying thank you to the special people in your life who are away from family and friends during the holiday season?   It’s easy to forget that there ARE people who aren’t able to fly or drive home for a three- or four-day weekend from college or jobs.

Me Uncle Bill & Aunt Donna, Indpls, Sept 2010

I remember my years in the Air Force (lo these many years ago!) with much fondness, but holidays were pretty much horrible.  There’s nothing like living in a dormitory, when many have gone home or to friends’ homes for the long-weekends or holidays.  Thankfully my first year I was stationed for tech school near my favorite aunt and uncle at Thanksgiving, so I was able to spend it with them.   Aunt Donna pulled me under her wing (we’re both much older now!), and I had a great time helping her.   

“A kind-hearted woman gains respect…” 

Proverbs 11:6

However, the next two years, I was at my permanent duty station of Offutt AFB in Omaha, Nebraska.   Too far from home in northern Wisconsin to make the almost-700 mile trip (one way) for the weekend.   Two years of being stuck in the dorm eating at the chow hall for Thanksgiving—ewww!  Granted the chow hall cooks tried to make us a great Thanksgiving feast, but turkeys roasted for hundreds of people, carved, then kept warm in serving trays over hot water—hmmm?—just isn’t as tasty as what a loving mother or an excellent aunt can do in their little home kitchens!  Nope!   Nothing tasted right—just hopelessly blah.  

And what really made me miserable was knowing my five younger brothers were getting to have a piled-up-high mound of Ma’s good mashed spuds, overflowing with her tasty gravy, puddling next to the stuffing and oozing under the slices of dark meat turkey!   Oh dear.  I was miserable both years eating my lukewarm turkey, icky spuds from a box and gravy that could’ve been made from concrete blocks.  Ugh.

So, think of the people you know who may be away 

from family and friends for Thanksgiving.    

Today's idea for thankfulness 

Put together a C.A.R.E. package and 

lighten up their holidays!   

Include a hand-written thank you note 

or letter of encouragement.  

Who Is a Likely Candidate?   Perhaps your church has missionaries stationed in another country where food-stuffs are difficult to obtain.   Or missionaries’ children are state-side while parents are overseas, and the student will be left to get-by in the dorm because it is too far to fly to be with the rest of the family.   Maybe you know of college students who are unable to get home for a short weekend with the family.  

Especially remember military members serving far from family—at great personal sacrifice in situations that are unbelievably spartan.    Our son recently left Afghanistan with some of the worst living conditions an American citizen can imagine for personal hygiene and privacy and safety.    It takes very little to make a soldier or marine thankful.    

A couple weeks prior to any holiday, host a Care Package Gathering with friends from church or the neighborhood.   If sending to a service member overseas, better plan this at least a month in advance so it gets there prior to the holiday (if possible).   Mail, even when “Express” or “Priority” doesn’t receive the same quick handling it gets here in the states.   

Packing a Care Package:   Obtain a large “priority mail” flat rate (make sure it says FLAT RATE) box from the Post Office, one for each package being mailed.   Print out the address label.   Any packages going overseas will need a Customs Declaration form, too.  

What to Send:   Ask each guest to bring something that will make a soldier or student happy.   It might be good to ask the youth’s mom or dad for specific suggestions, too.    Here are some general ideas of welcomed package items:    snacks, chips, crackers, jerky, gum, hard candy, candy bars, fruit snacks, pop-tarts, sunscreen, hand-wipes, hand sanitizer, toothpaste, family pictures, sports team stuff, games, puzzles, etc. 

My son’s favorite package was themed around “summer fun” for his Half-Birthday (August) when it was really hot in Afghanistan.    He really liked the John Wayne movies and the two bottles of Dr. Pepper (they don’t have any over there).   I included a package of cheap squirt guns for him and his buddies to “play” with and some other silly-kid things on clearance in the “summer” aisle at Wal-Mart. He loved it!    

Special Care:   Make sure anything spill-able is put into a clean zip-lock (just the right size) just in case it would accidentally get opened.  

Mailing the Package:   When you take your box(es) to the Post Office, remind the teller that your package is going to an active duty soldier in a war zone—you get a cheaper rate!!    Packages MUST be sent to a specific soldier, the military will NOT deliver to “Any US Army Soldier” or other non-specific addressee.   

As you’re filling out the Customs Declaration form, err on the side of keeping your description more “general” to avoid the box being stolen or vandalized.   Sorry to say, that does happen from time to time!    If the box is undeliverable to your soldier, you can mark the little box on the form to have it returned to you…but if you mark the box to have it left there…then they will divide it between the other soldiers there instead.

“A generous woman will prosper; 

she who refreshes others will herself be refreshed.”

Proverbs 11:25

 (modified to fit the womanly aspect of our discussion)

Our next post . . . 

Home-made Thankfulness for the Home