Giver
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17 NIV)
I love Thanksgiving.
Not just the one day of the holiday—although it probably is my favorite day of the year.
I love the whole season and concept of Thanksgiving.
I love the spirit of it. The simplicity of it. The gathering in. The gathering together. And most of all, I love its emphasis on gratitude.
Study after study has shown that thankful people are happier people. Maybe this is because being thankful for what we have turns our minds off what we don't have. Maybe it's because being thankful activates areas of our brain that produce feel-good chemicals. Maybe it's because thankfulness is commanded by God, so when we practice it, we're being obedient...and obedience to God brings big-picture happiness, even if it's hard and sacrificial.
Psalm 116:17 says, "I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD." I tell my children that a sacrifice is supposed to be something that's hard to give. (They are always wildly impressed by this sermon, of course.) So if thanksgiving is hard, that's okay. It just means it's more of a sacrifice...the kind that pleases God.
I've also tried to teach my children to be thankful for the gifts they're given...to express their appreciation in both words and in written thank-you notes. We owe God the same and more for the gifts He's given us.
And here's the thing about those gifts: they are "good and perfect," but they aren't only for good and perfect people. If they were, God would have no one to give them to. God's gifts are not based on how deserving the recipients are; they are based on how generous the Giver is.
God's gifts are for you, sweet friends. Don't assume they're for someone else and set them aside. They're intended for you, from the great heart of the Giver.
O God our Giver, thank You for Your good and perfect gifts. Help us to receive them gratefully and regift them generously, out of hearts full of thanks.
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I'd love to hear from you! Feel free to tell me what you really think. Years ago, I explained to my then-two-year-old that my appointment with a counselor was "sort of like going to a doctor who will help me be a better mommy." Without blinking, she replied, "You'd better go every day." All of which is just to say I've spent some time in the school of brutal honesty!