Thanksgiving idea

Holidays are funny things.  Over time they tend to deteriorate into something that is decidedly less than they were meant to be.  For example, Independence Day is associated with fireworks; Christmas is associated with Santa Claus or presents; Flag Day…I’m really not sure.  Thanksgiving, too, is associated with turkey, something that is quite a bit less than its original, intended purpose.

The word ‘holiday’ is a shortening of the term ‘holy day’.  I guess even the term has lost some of the meaning.  What am I getting at?  We need to always work at making the holidays what they were intended to be.  It takes work to truly remember our independence on the Fourth of July; it takes work to not be focused about presents or a man in a red suit on Christmas; it takes work to understand the point of Flag Day, whatever it may be.  Is your Thanksgiving this year focused around a turkey dinner and family plans?  It takes work to remember the intended purpose – Giving thanks to God for all he has given us.

With that thought in mind I would like to suggest an exercise for the family to remember to be thankful over Thanksgiving.  Write the name of each family member on a slip of paper and place it in a hat.  Have each member of the family draw a name (and try again if it’s their own name).  The task is for each person to write a thank you note to God about that individual, listing specific traits and qualities about that person for whom they are thankful.  As a family, take turns reading those prayers aloud to God.

Want a variation on the activity?  Instead of names, write down things that you have as a family for which you can be thankful, such as a home, church, food, clothing, special people in your lives, etc.  Write out thank you letters to God and include a prayer for those who don’t have those things in their lives.  Be creative, and take the lead to create a special sense of gratitude in your family.

You may even want to read some Psalms of praise to God as well.  Psalms 95, 96, 98, 100, 104, and 105 are all easy ones to read aloud and see ideas of thankfulness to God for all of His goodness (and they are all very close together).

As you work to gain the true nature of this Holy Day, Thanksgiving, it will open your eyes and those of your family to see God’s wonderful goodness to you at all times.