Grateful For All That We Have

Why is November flying away so fast? It needs to sit and stay awhile. I changed my music on here and then never posted anything, but this really is my favorite time of year. I was thinking about poor poor Thanksgiving the other day. It is absolutely one of my very favorite holidays and yet it is often tossed aside because it is not commercial enough. I mean don't get me wrong, the grocery stores jump on it like a coyote on a turkey leg, but that also doesn't stop them from decking their halls with boughs of holly in the meantime. I recently had an "ah ha" moment about how important Thanksgiving is in relation to Christmas. What would happen if every family in America really celebrated Thanksgiving by giving thanks? Not just a short little glazed over ceremony of naming something obvious to be grateful for... like food whilst sitting in front of a gigantic feast, but parents and children really pondering the multitude of blessings in life. What if families had deep conversations of experiences that have made each person feel gratitude and then practiced acting on that gratitude? What if the marketing bombardment held off a little while on telling us what we want to give us the time to observe all that we have? Can you imagine how different Christmas would be if Thanksgiving was really central the month before? I can.  I can imagine how the attitude of "I want..." might change. I can imagine that the feelings of gratitude felt for the gift of our Saviour would multiply. We might not buy as many presents.  We may not get as many presents, but what we would gain would be of far greater value. As I have contemplated on this, I have felt the desire to make Thanksgiving an important time in my family. I found an old proverb that says, "The greater wealth is contentment with a little." I believe that is true. The pursuit of more with never satiate if we refuse to see and be grateful for all that we have.