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Real Answers™
jj99
Copyright: © ©2006 James J. Jackson
600 words

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

By: James J. Jackson

While standing in line at a customer service desk, I overheard someone say, “Thanksgiving?  I don’t have anything to be thankful for!”  

The speaker and another person then launched into what seemed to be a competition to see who could come up with the saddest tale of woe.  I thought how sad it was that these people could think of nothing for which to be thankful.

It brought to mind the many family Thanksgiving dinners I experienced as a child, and those my immediate family have experienced.  I come from a family of ten siblings, and many cousins, aunts and uncles and extended family members.  We had large food-feasts on Thanksgiving, and established certain customs and ground rules.

Everyone was admonished to dwell upon the good things in life, and anyone who brought up a negative topic was castigated by the group.  Before we sat down to dinner, we stood and held hands around the long table, and each person (except for those too young to speak), had to express thanks for at least one person or thing in their lives.  Anyone who couldn’t think of anything to be thankful for could expect a session of one-on-one counseling with my Aunt Bessie later in the day.

Sometimes, by the time we went all the way around the table and my Uncle Dave finished his long Thanksgiving prayer and blessing, I worried that the food would get cold before we ate (it never did).  I carried this custom on after I had a family of my own. 

We also had a custom of inviting a person or family who would otherwise spend Thanksgiving alone, to join our family for dinner.  I continued this custom, and over the years we have enjoyed the company of many interesting people, including a college basketball player, a homeless person that my young daughter suggested we invite, and a student from Africa and his family, who spoke only Swahili.

Many who tend to dwell upon all the things they don’t have, or on their problems, often ignore the many blessings they have experienced in life.   One person may dwell upon a broken relationship between them and their child, while forgetting the blessing of healing from cancer that she, herself received.  One person might dwell upon the loss of a job, while neglecting to give thanks for having the good health to seek another one.  Another might dwell upon having failed to obtain the new car they desire, rather than giving thanks for dependable transportation.

I remember my Aunt Bessie responding to a family member who stated that he could find nothing for which to give thanks, “You woke up this morning, didn’t you?  You’re standing there breathing, aren’t you?  Then, thanks be to God for that!  If you don’t feel particularly thankful, thank Him anyway!”

God doesn’t promise us perfect health and happiness, or wealth and prosperity.  Instead, He warns us in His word that we will have trials and tribulation. In 1 Thessalonians, He tells us to “…Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”  He also tells us in Phil. 6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God our requests to God.”

Therefore, even if it is true that you cannot think of one thing for which to give thanks, God wants you to thank him for the struggles and bad things, asking Him to deliver you from them. So, Happy Thanksgiving, and if you can’t think of anything to give thanks for, thank God anyway.

"Real Answers™" furnished courtesy of The Amy Foundation Internet Syndicate. To contact the author or The Amy Foundation, write or E-mail to: P. O. Box 16091, Lansing, MI 48901-6091; amyfoundtn@aol.com

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