THANKSGIVING IS A UNIQUELY AMERICAN HOLIDAY!

THANKSGIVING DAY CONTAINS WITHIN IT: CHARMING CUSTOMS, A UNIQUE SENSE OF OPTIMISM, THE GATHERNG OF FRIENDS & FAMILY, & I SUSPECT (& HOPE ) THAT IN MOST HOMES THANKSGIVING DAY INCLUDES EXPRESSIONS OF THANKS TO GOD!

LIKE MANY NATIONAL HOLIDAYS, THANKSGIVING IS BASED ON A FEW FACTS & A LOT OF WONDERFUL STORIES & MYTHS… THANKSGIVING DAY REMAINS ATTRACTIVE TO MOST AMERICANS… I DON’T KNOW ANYONE WHO WAS BORN IN AMERICA WHO DOES NOT CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING – EVEN IF THEY LIVE ABROAD! AS THE “GOD SQUAD” NOTED IN ONE OF ITS COLUMNS A FEW YEARS BACK: THANKGIVING IS ONE OF THOSE RARE HOLIDAYS THAT IS “SPIRITUALLY ACCEPTABLE, A UNIVERSAL AMERICAN HOLIDAY.” (RABBI GELLMAND & MONSIGNOR THOMAS HARTMAN – NEW HAVEN REGISTER, 11/22/03)

GIVING THANKS… THANKS-GIVING… THANKFULNESS …IS A PRETTY GOOD & EVEN A PRETTY HEALTHY HUMAN EXPRESSION… AS WE MOVE INTO THIS WEEK I IMAGINE THAT EACH OF US WILL TAKE A MOMENT OR TWO TO REFLECT ON WHAT WE ARE REALLY THANKFUL FOR THIS YEAR...

I TRUST THAT MOST OF US COULD MAKE A LIST OF THOSE THINGS WE ARE THANKFUL FOR… MOST OF US CAN FIND AT LEAST A FEW THINGS THAT MADE US HAPPY IN THE YEAR PAST & CERTAINLY WE CAN IDENTIFY SO CALLED “BLESSINGS” IN OUR LIVES...

ONE REAL CHALLENGE FOR US THIS WEEK MAY BE TO REMEMBER THOSE UN-COUNTED BLESSINGS, THOSE EVENTS IN OUR LIVES THAT DID NOT SEEM LIKE BLESSINGS WHEN THEY OCCURRED… I IMAGINE WE CAN EACH CITE THINGS IN THE PAST YEAR THAT EVENTUALLY TURNED OUT TO BE BLESSINGS, EVEN AT THE TIME THEY DID NOT SEEM THAT WAY…

WE KNOW THAT OUR LIVES ARE CHANGED & TRANSFORMED BY BOTH THE HAPPY/JOYFUL EVENTS AS WELL AS THE DIFFICULT/PAINFUL EVENTS…

ONE OF THE BLESSINGS OF BEING A PASTOR IS THAT BOTH DONNA & I GET TO HEAR STORIES… WE SIT WITH PEOPLE & WE GET TO HEAR FOLKS REFLECT ON HOW EVEN TERRIBLE ILLNESS, TRAGEDY, A DEATH, OR SOME OTHER LIFE CHANGING EVENT TURNS PEOPLE’S LIVES AROUND…

WE HEAR STORIES ABOUT HOW FOLKS EVENTUALLY NOTICE THAT THROUGH THE TEARS OF GRIEF & PAIN & OFTEN IN RETROSPECT - THAT LIVES ARE TRANSFORMED BY BOTH THE GOOD & THE BAD EVENTS THAT WE HAVE TO FACE IN OUR LIFETIMES…

EVENTS & LOSSES & OTHER CRISES DO CHANGE US & TRANSFORM US IN UNEXPECTED WAYS… EACH OF US IS MADE UP OF ALL THE LIFE EVENTS & LIFE CHALLENGES WHICH MAKE US WHO WE ARE TODAY… AND YET ALL OF THESE LIFE EVENTS & CHALLENGES CAN MAKE US INTO MORE THANKFUL PEOPLE…

THE PILGRIMS WHO STARTED THIS UNIQUELY AMERICAN THANKSGIVING TRADITION SO MANY YEARS AGO DID NOT HAVE LIVES THAT HAD BEEN EASY OR LIVES WITHOUT GREAT LOSS OR PAIN IN THE MONTHS PRECEDING THEIR FIRST CELEBRATION IN 1623… YET THE PILGRIMS – IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING – DID COME TOGETHER OVER A MEAL TO OFFER THEIR THANKS TO GOD FOR BRINGING THEM TO THAT DAY…

THEOLOGIAN HENRI NOWEN SUGGESTED THAT GRATITUDE IS NOT JUST A SIMPLE EMOTION OR AN ATTITUDE BUT “GRATITUDE IS A DIFFICULT DISCIPLINE, TO CONSTANTLY RECLAIM (OUR) MY WHOLE PAST AS THE CONCRETE WAY IN WHICH GOD HAS LED ME TO THIS MOMENT AND IS SENDING ME INTO THE FUTURE. …. GRATITUDE IN ITS DEEPEST SENSE MEANS TO LIVE LIFE AS A GIFT TO BE RECEIVED GRATEFULLY.” AND NOWEN CONTINUES TO SAY THAT “GRATITUDE AS THE GOSPEL SPEAKS ABOUT IT EMBRACES ALL OF LIFE: THE GOOD & THE BAD, THE JOYFUL AND THE PAINFUL, THE HOLY AND THE NOT SO HOLY.” (P. 39/ 40 “ALL IS GRACE” NOV/DEC. 92 WEAVINGS MAGAZINE)

JESUS KNEW HOW TOUGH LIFE COULD BE… HE KNEW & UNDERSTOOD THAT WE CAN GET OBSESSED WITH FRETTING, ANXIETY, & WORRY ABOUT OUR LIVES… JESUS SUGGESTS THAT LIFE IS ABOUT MORE THAN FRETTING & ANXIOUS WORRYING… JESUS WANTED US TO PAY ATTENTION – NOT TO THE MUNDANE – RATHER HE WANTED US TO FOCUS ON GOD-REALITY, ON GOD-INITIATIVES, ON GOD- PROVISIONS…

JESUS SUGGESTS OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO BE ON THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSFORMING LIVES, TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES, & TRANSFORMING A WORLD VASTLY IN NEED OF OUR HELP AND COMMITMENT…

JESUS POINTS US TOWARD ISSUES OF JUSTICE MAKING BEFORE EVERYTHING ELSE…JESUS INVITES US TO CONSIDER THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL CALLING ON THIS EARTH – A CALLING TO DEVOTE OUR LIVES TO GOD & GOD’S TEACHINGS… AND YET JESUS IS NOT SUGGESTING THAT WE ALL ABANDON OUR LIVES & MOVE TO THE DESERT TO JOIN A MONASTERY OR TO EMPTY OUR SAVINGS ACCOUNTS OR OUR 401(K)S… INSTEAD JESUS IS ASKING US TO AVOID EXCESSIVE WORRY & ANXIETY THAT CAN HAPPEN IF OUR LIVES ARE SEPARATED FROM GOD…

JESUS POINTS US TO A DIFFERENT WAY OF LIVING & A DIFFERENT WAY OF MOVING IN THIS WORLD – DIFFERENT FROM THE NORMS & THE CULTURES OF THIS WORLD… JESUS WANTS US TO PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT GOD IS DOING IN OUR LIVES TODAY! JESUS INVITES US TO TRUST IN GOD WHO DOES & WILL PROVIDE FOR US JUST AS GOD PROVIDES FOR ALL CREATION…

LET ME CLOSE WITH THIS REFLECTION ON BLESSINGS:

I've never made a fortune, and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much, I'm happy anyhow.
And as I go along life's way, I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Haven't got a lot of riches, and sometimes the going's tough.
But I've got loving ones all around me, and that makes me rich enough.
I thank God for his blessings, and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong, my faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke, and the sun peeped through again.
So Lord, help me not to gripe, about the tough rows I have hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage, when the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings, I'm already blessed enough.
And may I never be too busy, to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer, 'Cause my cup has overflowed.

MAY YOU LIVE OUT OF AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!

AND MAY WE ALWAYS COUNT OUR BLESSINGS! AMEN.