Thankful

  One of the great American traditions is the holiday of Thanksgiving. Like all traditions, there are things to admire and things that disappoint. While we reflect on and thank God for his blessings, we also have adopted some conflicting contradictions along the way of our celebration.
  Thanksgiving is one of those family gathering holidays. The American landscape stretches families across thousands of miles. Often in our desire to be with family on this important holiday the long distances traveled by plane, car or bus puts more stress on our already fatigued bodies and minds.... hurry up, I need to get home! We rush and fret and along the way and our 'thankful' hearts often get frustrated and frazzled.
  Once we 'get home' we often encounter people we struggle to get along with. We all have family members with whom we have a less than stellar relationship. The nature of family gatherings is a mixed bag of blessing and burden. We love Uncle Ted.... but what about Aunt Martha? We sometimes struggle with knowing how to handle broken or damaged relationships during a holiday like Thankgiving. Somehow we have bought into the lie that we can't be thankful until and unless all is well in our lives. The truth is that giving thanks in our world of imperfections is a beautiful way to express  and build our relationship with God and one another. Gratitude consists of being more aware of what you have, than what you don't! We are much more wealthy than we realize. True wealth is not a measure of material possessions. The most valuable things in life are relationships. When we put effort and time to nurture and develop healthy and loving relationships, we are investing in what is most important in life.
  The day after Thanksgiving has come to be known as "Black Friday" in shopping parlance. The term refers to the hope that businesses will end up 'in the black' or with a profit. Over the years, "Black Friday" has developed into a manic attempt to get deals.... to grab....to obtain and grasp for satisfaction in things that are meant bring pleasure and 'happiness'. Having just celebrated all that we are grateful for, it seems deeply contradictory to rush out and grasp for more. Having eaten a special meal reflecting on the importance of family and the blessings and abundance of the past year, I wonder if "Black Friday" is  at odds with the real purpose of Thanksgiving. I don't have anything against anyone shopping on that particular day, I just want us all to be careful our hearts are not hardened by the lust for more stuff.
  This Thanksgiving holiday I want to reflect and relish what God has done in my life. I want to be grateful for the relationships that are the most valuable aspect of my life. I am not waiting for the imperfections and broken places to be healed before I rejoice in the God of my salvation. I am choosing today to be grateful. God is good... he's worthy of praise and of my gratitude....right here, right now.  In closing, as you're  reading this I want you to know I am grateful for your friendship. As the author Gary Smalley has said so well, "Life is all about relationships, the rest is just details."
Happy Thankgiving!
Jim