Tomorrow, it's Thanksgiving Day. It is the most important, most celebrated non-secular holiday in America. More important than Christmas or any other religious or traditional holiday in the calendar.
When the Filipinos travel back to their hometowns and families to celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving is tantamount to Americans' homecoming. Originally celebrated to give "thanks to God" and as a religious holiday, this day had apparently become secular. The 1st Thanksgiving on 1863 was a day of gratitude to God for helping the pilgrims (the first English settlers in America) survive the harsh winter.
Before learning about the history of Thanksgiving Day, I somehow thought Thanksgiving should really be a "day for thanking God" for everything we have. By starting to count our blessings, and thanking Him for each of them, we feel lightened, encouraged, and more uplifted. We find happiness when we acknowledge all that we have that others do not have. Don't you know that it's true that the problems and lack of others are worse than our own? We gripe and whine in discontent because things do not happen the way we want them to be. Of course, we can feel sad and disappointed but this should not lead us to go down in the dumps. Instead, let us look into the things we are taking for granted that others will possibly die for.
Every time I feel unsatisfied, discouraged or sad, I'd snap out of it whenever I begin to recount all that I have that others are wishing to possess. We may never know that the things we take for granted are what others eternally crave for. And some of the things we yearn for are actually not for our good. God knows us as He has great plans for us and He definitely knows what not to give us and definitely knows what is best for us.
This reminds me of Sinead O'Connor's album title, "I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got." The title phrase is thought-provoking, as if to reflect man's source of discontent and agony. However, there are things in life that are not for us, that despite our efforts and fervent prayers, we cannot just attain them. We do not own what we all desire as it may also inhibit God's plan for us. If God had bestowed me financial wealth, there comes a responsibility that I may not be able to handle. It's also possible that riches can lead me to be puffed up with pride. Or it may lead to degradation of my values and priorities that may cause my family to suffer. He did not give me children because I might be too preoccupied with my own little ones that I forget the small needs of others. He did not allow us to live in a warmer region in this land, because the achievement of His purposes for us are all going to happen here.
"In everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God." Thessalonians 5:18
God did not create us to be self-sufficient but to rely and trust Him in everything we need and want. We were also made to help each other that by giving ourselves to others, and others giving back to us is the real purpose of God's fellowship with men. If we have everything we want, we probably don't need anything at all, and this is dangerous especially if we forget that what we really need is God. To the atheists and unbelievers, God does not exist because if God is god, then He would not allow sufferings from lack, want and poverty to exist in the world. Suffering does not make sense to most people. But God's ways are mysterious and hence don't make sense. Besides He did not assure us of a problem-free life, but peace, comfort and providence even in the midst of all major screw-ups. Just like the pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving, offering gratitude to God who helped them go through the brutality of the cold season.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, my ways are not your ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
All I know, God does not want it of course, but He blesses certain people more so they can be blessings to others. We are blessed and given so we can bless and give to others who desperately need us. In this way, those who are afflicted, poor, and depressed whom we have helped will glorify God through us who have helped and given them.
Each day, I wake up thanking God for another day that I'm alive, hale and vigorous. I try not to dwell on the thoughts of what I do not have and instead focus on what I have that gives me joy. And here on my blog, I'd like to list down 10 things I'm grateful for.
1) That I have good health, free of sickness and infirmity. (Imagine the sick and the dying, AIDS victims, cancer-stricken patients, diabetics, etc.)
2) That I have a great, loving, God-fearing, handsome husband whose wit and humor never fail to amuse me, who cooks delicious dinners every single night, and who is my "best friend forever." (Think of those who are still looking and searching desperately for their Mr/Mrs. Right
3) That I have a roof over my head, even though it's crammed with so much stuff, and not my ideal abode (Have you seen those TV footages of homeless people, and the poor living in shacks?)
4) That I have a very comfortable, warm, cushy bed to give me a restful snooze into the night (How could anyone survive a cold night lying down on a cemented pavement?)
5) That I have my old, reliable car which can transport me wherever I want to go, though it's not a BMW (Consider the conveniences and ease of having a trusted vehicle)
7) That I have projects to do that I can earn little money from to buy my fashion and beauty whims. (What about the jobless?)
8) That we always have food on our table to sate my hunger, and even cravings. (There are gazillions of starving humans all over the earth who dream of nothing but food)9) That I have a fast metabolism and no matter how much I eat, even without exercising, I stay slim and still weighs the same even after 25 years. (Think of those people who struggle with difficulties in losing weight to stay healthy).
10) That I have faith and trust in God, knowing that my comfort, help and strength are all in Him (Because otherwise, I'd fail miserably in life and probably would end up a loony or a loser).Thanksgiving Day should not be just a once-a-year novelty where we gather with our annoying relatives and kin with a sumptuous fare of turkey and pumpkin pie. Instead, we should celebrate a moment of thanks each day. Don't you agree that each day should be a "Thanksgiving Day"? Because if it is, I think we will never ever lose our mind, and the road to happiness will be easier to navigate.
How about you, what are you thankful for? Do you give thanks each day for what you already have? Or do you think you're unfortunate because you don't have what everybody has? Or do you think you're still unsatisfied thinking life is unfair because you believe that you deserve to get what you want?
Whatever....I wish you a "Happy Thanksgiving!"

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