COUNT DOWN TO THANKSGIVING

Our world is always in a rush and tumble state. People are always hurrying to some place of importance. The Thanksgiving Holiday makes it even worse. Air travel and road travel are increased by numbers at which we can only estimate at being "all time highs". Why is that?

Thanksgiving is a traditional American holiday that embodies what our nation is about. It is a time to remember those who first immigrated to the "New World" and planted the first crops, established the first towns and remembering the many that died trying to make this brave new world a reality. Those first Pilgrims came here seeking freedom. Freedom from an oppressive government, freedom to worship as they felt was right without government interference.

Is that really what most of us remember at this time of the year? No, probably not. What is it that drives people to go to extremes to be "home" for Thanksgiving? What is it that caused them to drive days on end for thousands of miles? What is it that causes them to stand in lines at airports, to endure layovers and cramped quarters in a cylinder hurtling through the air? What is it that causes them to chance being stranded by bad weather in some strange place while traveling, still far from home?

It seems that for most of us it is a time of reminiscing about times gone by. It is a time of remembering family gatherings of the past and looking forward to sharing more of the same. It is about smiling, laughing and sharing. It is about renewing and sharing our love with others, and yes it is a time of food. But the food itself is a reminder, a remembrance of times shared together in the past. It is about love! Love for family and friends.

Yes, I know that sometimes family (and friends) can be trying. The relationships sometime require sacrifices that are difficult, but then it is the "love" part that motivates us to make that sacrifice.

Perhaps Paul's words from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 tell us what it is all about: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (NIV)

So, am I saying that our Thanksgiving Holiday is ultimately about love? Yes, of course it is, if it weren’t there would be no thanksgiving!

To all of my readers let me say, I am thankful for you! Many of you are separated from physical family (as are we) this holiday, but then we are family are we not. Joined in Christ, brothers and sisters and I rejoice that God has brought us together.