Friday, October 28, 2005

Skipping Thanksgiving

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The problem is, it's not even November yet. Christmas is still a couple of months away.

But from the looks of many stores in the area, you'd think that ole Saint Nick was about to scurry down the chimney. I saw Christmas ornaments and wrapping paper on display at Lowe's last week. Old Navy already has Christmas pajamas for sale. A local interior decorator store that I passed on my way home last night even has Christmas trees lit both inside and outside the store.

Don't get me wrong, I'm no Scrooge. I love Christmas. But I do hate the fact that, in the rush to get as much money in the cash register as early as possible, retailers drag out the wreaths and twinkling lights before we even get Halloween out of the way.

And Thanksgiving? No longer a day to spend with family and friends, stuffing yourself with turkey and all the trimmings, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and falling asleep on the couch during a football game. No, Thanksgiving is now a speed bump on the road to holiday shopping.

Last night I was thinking about how similar my prayer life is at times, how often I rush through (or skip altogether) the thanksgiving part of prayers and go straight for the "gimme" part. Yet, the Bible places great importance on thanksgiving in and of itself.

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.
For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

(Psalm 95:1-5)

...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. (Philippians 4:6)

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)

O Lord, help me to be thankful for all that You have done and all that You are going to do in my life. Don't let me rush through thanksgiving, but take time to honor You in every circumstance. Amen.

4 comments:

Lisa said...

Kind of disgusting, isn't it? Why don't they just keep a section of Christmas decorations in the store year round, save the time of dragging them out in August!

Donna G said...

Great thoughts Lisa...

You know by Sunday Wal Mart will have the Halloween stuff in the discount aisle and you will have the "feature" aisle full of Christmas stuff....It really annoys me.

Anonymous said...

I so enjoy reading your blog, Lisa. You are an encouragement to far more people than you know. I've never met you but sense a very sweet, spiritual person. God's blessings be with you.

paul said...

I like your analogy to prayer, "often I rush through (or skip altogether) the thanksgiving part of prayers and go straight for the "gimme" part".

It is hard to take time to be truly thankful. There are times we probably should just do that and then stop there. Thank you, Lord!