Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope wherever you are and whatever your circumstances may be, that you can find some time to rest, give thanks and feast on delicious, fattening food this week. In this “blogsgiving” post I wanted to share some of my recent thoughts about thankfulness and enjoyment.

I have always loved Thanksgiving for a few reasons. Probably because my childhood Thanksgivings were pretty epic. We traditionally went to my aunt and uncle’s house in New York for a few nights with all of my cousins and extended family. As kids we would have a blast playing Mario Kart among other fun games and fall asleep to Disney movies in our heap of sleeping bags across the basement floor. Oh, but not before sneaking up in the middle of the night to grab more goodies from the dessert table (pumpkin roll was my go-to). And for many of those years we would then go to the movies on that next Friday to see the latest blockbuster film (many times it was Harry Potter). Of course, right after Thanksgiving was the start of the Christmas season so you didn’t have that post-Holiday anticlimax feeling.

But as I have gotten older and Thanksgiving has simplified a bit, I appreciate the holiday for different reasons. Now it’s a time to relax, reflect and simply appreciate a cozy meal….that also happens to be my favorite of all time. To me, it’s the calm before the storm of Christmas chaos! While I treasure the Christmas and advent season, it can be a bit stressful. To me, Thanksgiving shines for its simplicity.

So this Thanksgiving I am looking forward to eating my all-time favorite dinner, wearing a cozy sweater dress, and appreciating all that I have to be thankful for. The past year has been another tough one …..and not just because of the pandemic. Between the continuous battle with chronic Lyme disease, a painful family situation and a lot of loneliness…lets just say there has been a lot of heavy and hard. But even still, bright sunbeams of laughter, creativity, excitement, inspiration, warmth and refreshment have punctured through the darkness.

Actually I thought I talk a little bit about some Bible verses that have been encouraging me a lot lately that tie in quite well with Thanksgiving.

Some Personal Reflections

Ecclesiastes 5:18-20: “Behold, what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions land power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God. For he will not much remember the days of his life because God keeps him occupied with joy in his heart.”

There is definitely a lot here, but I feel like these passages theme around finding enjoyment in the responsibilities, opportunities and little pleasures of day-to-day life. Whether its a tasty feast with friends, a hard day’s work, a productive day around the house, or even a frustrating day pushing through chronic symptoms, these verses imply the possibility of finding genuine enjoyment in the life that we have.

The part that stands out the most to me is, “to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.” It occurred to me that it is possible to have wealth and possessions and many good gifts yet not have the ability to enjoy them. What would the point be of having “wealth,” “possessions” or other blessings if not to enjoy them? Yet it is far too easy to sabotage our own enjoyment in the simple joys of life. Somehow the worries, stressors, struggles and constant itching for the next thing can snatch away the simple enjoyment of blessings and privileges we may already have.

The verse also depicts a special possibility—that no matter what toils fill our days, it is possible for joy to occupy our hearts. The choice is mine— if I choose to set my heart on Christ each day, he can occupy it with joy throughout my daily “toil”. I could really use more of that! This Thanksgiving I want to apply these verses and practice truly enjoying in the good gifts that I have—spiritual, literal or otherwise. Most importantly—I want to let God’s joy eclipse whatever struggles fill my daily toil.

What About You?

I would love to know what you have been thinking about this Thanksgiving. Are there any areas of your life that you feel challenged to enjoy and appreciate more? Or are there just some things you are feeling extra thankful for this year? I would love to hear!