Happy Thanksgiving-Now, let's Go Shopping
Thanksgiving Day is one of the most widely celebrated holidays in the American culture. It has changed drastically over the years.
The first Thanksgiving was the famous gathering of Mayflower Colony pilgrims and Indians,who shared food and fellowship and thanked God for their bounty and for friendship. President Abraham Lincoln declared that Thanksgiving Day would be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.
I fondly remember our family's Thanksgiving feasts. We met in the basement of a large apartment complex, owned by an aunt and uncle. The room was huge, with space for a table that seemed to run forever, and plenty of room for children to play or watch television, and for adults to play cards or just sit and chat.
My Uncle Dave, the patriarch of the family, usually orchestrated the event. Each family brought their favorite appetizer, entree or dessert dish. Several turkeys gave their all to the celebration, as did a few ducks, geese, rabbits, venison, etc. (my uncles were prolific hunters). It was a family tradition that each person at the table (who was old enough to express themselves), to state one thing for which they were thankful. Between this exercise and the very long prayer, led by Uncle Dave, I often feared the food would be ice cold.
As an adult, I have learned that, as we age, more items rise that require prayer. After dinner, the men would usually argue over the football game and kids went outside to run off some of the repast they had just devoured. Most of the women cleaned up the dishes and then sat around catching upon the latest life issues and bragging about their children, The entire experience served to put one in the mind-set of thankfulness.
When I look back on those celebrations, I realize how precious those moments were. Nowadays, the family asks me to do the Thanksgiving prayer. As I survey the faces of so many loved ones gathered around, I am struck with thankfulness for having them in my life for another year. My heart is warmed by the faces of babies born since the last Thanksgiving dinner. I see healthy children and elderly members growing old gracefully. I think of those who have died during the year, or I am filled with the joy or knowing that we haven't lost anyone during that time.
I think of those struggling with illness, or with the loss of a job, while giving thanks for those who found new jobs. I think about those who may have been healed from a serious condition. Now I know why the family patriarch took so long to pray. I also know the importance of urging family members, young and old to “Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy endures forever” and to meditate upon how many blessings they have received, rather than thinking about things they don't have.
In modern times, we are urged to look beyond Thanksgiving Day to 'Black Friday', the busiest shopping day of the year. This is the day when businesses hope to sell enough merchandise to financially get into the black. There is nothing wrong with shopping (although I am convinced that I am allergic to it). Most of the items bought are Christmas gifts, and we should certainly look forward to the day when the Savior of the world was born. It just seems that holidays were much more heartfelt when they focused more on the meaning and less on the commercial aspect.
It is my prayer that everyone takes just a moment to reflect on how much we have to be thankful for.
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