Thanksgiving is as much about gratitude is at is about sharing a festive meal with all the trimmings. As it turns out, feeling thankful has pretty potent effects on more than just our appetites. Being thankful is about relationships (one-to-another), that bring us closer together. Some will say Thanksgiving is revered as the holiday for reflection and kindness (no argument there – because who doesn’t enjoy a good trip down memory lane). Others will say, it’s a time to count our blessings and name them one-by-one. But, you’ll find the accumulation of ‘things’ – happens to be the least powerful part of a Thanksgiving celebration. Case in point: When you woke up this morning, it was through no wonder of your own; and if you thought it was your cell phone jarring you awake—it wasn’t! Perhaps you felt that it was your internal clock that got you up and on your way (. . . not just one morning, but every morning, in your right state of being); not your own doing—it was the Lord.

The primary focus for a holiday that allows for appreciation – is hardly one in which we detail dates and compare receipts. Instead, it’s more of an expression. An expression of gratitude, for something greater than you and I. It’s bigger than survival, council recognition, flourishing communities and budgetary blessings combined. For once, let’s bold over the annual presidential pardon for a lucky bird, and throw away commercialized shopping points to give this holiday the reverence it deserves. This year, we begin with acknowledging God! Let’s make an earnest effort to express thanks in advance for whatever He is doing in our lives (today and tomorrow). Instead of asking for someone to pass the potatoes, how about telling that person you’ll pray for them. Instead of rushing out of the house after dinner (to catch a must-see feature on opening night); perhaps, we can take a few moments to visit the sick and shut in. And, instead of looking for the best deals on Black Friday, let’s look for the best in each other. With THANKS and a prayer laid at our father’s feet, let us start by saying. “In everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, I present my requests to God” (Philippians 4:6). Then and only then, can we approach this holiday with hearts brimming with an offer of love that puts Him at the head of our table. May we bless the Lord, with two words we can never utter too often. THANK YOU.