Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will
for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
Call me a sentimentalist, but I have my own ideas of what
constitutes a proper Thanksgiving.
I remember the good ole’ days when we gathered at my
grandmothers’ houses to celebrate the holidays, Thanksgiving among them. My
paternal grandmother and grandfather had only two children: my father and his
sister. Mom and Dad had three boys, and my aunt had a boy and a girl.
We all gathered at my grandparent’s house on Thanksgiving
Day to celebrate. The kids sat around the kitchen table while the adults
assembled in the dining room. And I remember when I reached that milestone and
could graduate to the dining room table to eat with the adults.
My grandfather was a ham man and always cooked and sliced
the ham. I don’t remember us celebrating with turkey, but my grandmother
provided the trimmings. When we finished, we milled around doing various
things: sitting and talking in the living room, watching a ball game on
television, and playing in the fenced-in backyard.
We said our goodbyes around midday and drove thirty miles
down the road to my maternal grandparents’ farm. Here, we repeated the same
procedure. Mom had one sister who had three children. They lived fifty yards
away, so getting to Grandma’s house required no driving for them.
But that was then, and this is now. I thought things had
changed, but after talking with my middle brother, I guess they haven’t changed
as much as I thought. All three of us brothers are now grandfathers and gather
with our children and grandchildren on Thanksgiving and other holidays.
Still, I would love to add the great-grandparent level and
see everyone gather at my mom’s house. I miss the part where we gather at the
person’s house who stands the furthest back in our genealogical line.
But really, a proper Thanksgiving includes much more than
family gatherings. Paul encapsulates it in this one verse: give thanks to God
in all circumstances. He wrote this long before anyone proclaimed a
Thanksgiving holiday in America or any other country.
The holidays can be difficult. We miss the gatherings. We
miss the ones who once gathered with us. Death is the lifetime thief that no
law enforcement officer can capture. And times can get tough when circumstances
come against us.
But circumstances should not determine our thanksgiving or
joy. Regardless of our circumstances, we can know God is in control, loves us,
blesses us, works all things together for our good, has mercy that endures
forever, and has an eternity planned for us—all things to be thankful for,
whether our Thanksgiving gatherings look like the ones we long for.
So on this Thanksgiving, observe a proper Thanksgiving.
Father, help me always to remember to thank you in all
circumstances and at all times.
Tweetable: What Thanksgiving memories do you have?
I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent, parent, or someone who wants to learn from grandparents, this is the book for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
