Thanksgiving--Giving Thanks.

Thanksgiving. A time of rejoicing, family gatherings, turkeys, stuffing, pumpkin and pecan pies, mashed potatoes, bloated stomachs, and lopsided smiles. Thanksgiving is not only an American tradition, but is celebrated all around the world, albeit at different times. The Canadians have their Thanksgiving, it was the English who started the American tradition, people in Cambodia and countries all over the world all have a day--whether called Thanksgiving or called something different--when they celebrate their thankfulness. But so much of Thanksgiving has been lost over the years since the pilgrims gave thanks to the Native Americans for the aid they had given them and, more importantly, gave thanks to God for the blessings that he had bestowed upon them. That Thanksgiving was all about giving Thanks to God. Hence the name, Thanksgiving. But now, is Thanksgiving so much about Giving Thanks as it is about eating good food until you are bloated? If anything we have even more reason to give Thanks to God on Thanksgiving than before. How many people in the world can afford to eat as much as we Westerners often do on days like Thanksgiving? Not many. It saddens me to see how much we indulge ourselves when millions of people around the world are starving. But it is not eating loads of food that saddens me--God did bless us with the food to make the feast--but the fact that many people eat without giving thanks to God. We would never have the bounty that we do if it were not for Him. I am blessed by God to have a family that loves and gives thanks to Him, but many people do not have such a blessing. Yes, having a huge feast on Thanksgiving is a wonderful thing, but it is pointless if we do not continue to do what Thanksgiving is all about: Give Thanks to God.