“In everything give thanks…”
The internet
does it again. I came across a chipmunk with its cheeks stuffed with food and
immediately thought of Thanksgiving…
“When you’ve started eating and
someone starts praying…”
And I caught
myself red handed, or, at least, full-mouthed.
Ah, the dignity
and beauty of human nature right here, everybody.
This time of
year, as we fully get the holidays- the food holidays- underway, it’s all too
easy to focus on that enormous array of food choices, to the exclusion of
gratitude. Turkey, pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and stuffing
all too often persuade us to stuff ourselves long before the thought of saying
grace and acknowledging God comes into play. Suddenly, before we know it, if
we’re completely mindless and indulgent, everyone has puffed out cheeks and no
one is spitting out a “thank you, God.”
“We give praise and thanks to You, O God, we
praise and give thanks; Your wondrous works declare that Your Name is near and
they who invoke Your Name rehearse Your wonders.”
If only…
And none of us looks as cute as the internet
chipmunk. We look selfish, greedy and ridiculous.
Happy
Thanksgiving.
I understand
the principle that, perhaps, one is not responsible for something until they
know it. One of my favorite quotes is from Dr. Maya Angelou: “When you know
better, you do better.”
And that is
precisely the point concerning the Thanksgiving Day concept itself; we all know better. Indeed, the “thanks”
is built into the name of the
holiday. We all “know better,” translation, we know we should be thankful for the blessings in our lives. But, do we
honestly “do better” with that knowledge, translation, that expression of thanks
to God personally?
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall
continually be in my mouth.”
Psalm 34:1
Eh…
Now, before
you think I’m only pointing my finger at you, please keep in mind I also have
four aiming right back at me. And, I know there are many of us out there,
affected by all kinds of addictions and disorders with many temptations
distracting us from saying authentic grace. I know each of us has that
weakness, that craving, maybe even that “downfall.”
Still, that should not completely eclipse our
capacity for gratitude. How about being grateful for the numerous ways God has
mercifully kept and spared us, in spite of us?
“Because of the
LORD's great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail. They are
new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
“I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the LORD,
and the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD hath bestowed on
us, and the great goodness toward the house of Israel, which he hath bestowed
on them according to his mercies, and according to the multitude of his
lovingkindnesses.”
Isaiah 63:7
Again, I’m
preaching this to my whiny chipmunk self as much as I am to anyone else.
Yes, there
are challenges, horrible, painful things which can befall us. That still
doesn’t change the reality we have experienced God’s grace and mercy. And that
should prompt at least the occasional thought, causing us to stop
and reflect on the reality check blessings we bask in, on any given day.
Thanksgiving
should be that ideal setting, right?
What if we took a few seconds to stop and reflect, before our mouths are full? What if we did say- and mean- “thank you?”
What if we weren’t stuffed chipmunks?
“I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and
will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.”
Psalm 7:17
All right. Now we can eat.
Copyright © 2020 by
Sheryle Cruse
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