Don't Miss it...Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving…..It’s supposed to be a day where the family gets together to celebrate and give thanks and honor to God for all the blessings He’s given. It’s a day where we take time to reflect on all the good that’s taken place and appreciate all the success that’s been accomplished, by God’s grace and mercy.

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed that Thanksgiving is getting more and more hurried through or pushed to the side. We get through Halloween and immediately start pulling out the Christmas lights, the trees and start writing our letters to Santa and making our Christmas wish lists. While Thanksgiving gets pushed off and left in the backs of our minds.

Retailers have taken notice of this as well. They’ve started opening earlier on Friday due to the anticipation and anxiety of the consumer to buy those “marked down” items for little Jimmy. They’ve noticed that the consumer has this “get it first” mentality and to “help” the consumer, they thought they would open the doors to the shop a little earlier.

This year, the retailers have taken it a step farther and decided to open its doors a little earlier. Like or not, some are going to open there doors at 10:00 pm or 11:00 pm on Thanksgiving night. REALLY?! So while the CEO’s and Presidents of these major companies are sitting at home, enjoying a nice cozy fire, watching a game or a movie or what ever; there will be someone’s dad, mom, grandmother, grandfather, brother, sister, aunt, uncle working to get the stores ready to make those executives more money.

Never mind the fact that the associates may want to spend time with their family. Never mind the fact that the single mother who’s worked 55 hours every week for the past year just to keep food on the table, might be looking for that one day a year to spend with her 4 year old. Never mind that the manager of the facility was really looking forward to a day of hunting with his father and son. Never mind that the college kid that hasn’t seen his parents in almost a year is going to prolong a visit home because he has to work. Now, it’s all about the dollar and Thanksgiving is no where to be seen, felt or even considered.

Let’s take back the holiday. Don’t give in to the hoopla of the retailers. Take the time to spend with family and friends and reflect on the goodness that God has given to you over the last year.

Through out the Psalms David wrote, O give thanks unto the Lord: for His mercy endureth for ever. In the New Testament it’s written many times to, “Give thanks”. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. We need to take the time to do just that…Give thanks…as a family.

Don’t let Thanksgiving get pushed aside. Don’t let it be just another day. Take it back and give God the glory, honor and respect for all He’s done for you and yours this past year.

Just my thoughts on a page….