The year we ate a hog in the jungle for Thanksgiving, I learned the holiday isn’t at all about grandma’s house, family recipes, pilgrims, or even turkey. But I do love turkey and all those things. A lot. I love having a full heart with easy reasons overflowing into gratitude. And once I’ve turned the page to “November,” it’s like my taste buds start craving it, the turkey and all the good things. And while my buds ache for a Butterball, my heart just as badly wants to be sincere about giving thanks.
It’s T minus 3 days and counting. T for Thanksgiving, that is. And once Thanksgiving has soaked in like gravy in stuffing, it will be time to say something we’re thankful for. We may post it on Facebook, just say it, or pray it, but we’ll have to decide if we’ll say we give thanks, and only we will know if we really give it.
There are some days of Thanksgiving when it’s easier than others to bow our heads in true gratitude. There are others when it takes making a decision. The year before turning the page to “November” might’ve been filled with hard things like loneliness, losing, or letting go. What kind of year brings you to this day of thanks? It may’ve been more battle than blessing, more questions than answers. Do you have a hog this Thanksgiving? Or an empty table? Or an empty seat at the table?
“Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!” Psalm 107:1
Hog or not, God’s goodness does not change. Loss or loneliness or letting go does not change the goodness that gathers us around a table, to choose to say thank you for God’s unchanging, good, loving nature. What was your hard thing this year? What’s your hard thing today? Oh, give thanks.
It’s T minus 3 and counting, and there’s still time to count our blessings. To choose to say we’re thankful and mean it. Thank you, God, for the hogs, as well as the turkeys.
