TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022 - THANKSGIVING - PART II

 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2022 - THANKSGIVING - PART II

It is Thanksgiving week in the United States (Canadians have their Thanksgiving in October).  I’m taking the week to look at what it means to “give thanks”.  

Today, a Christian perspective: 1 Thessalonians 5:15-22

(Please understand this is my perspective - this also fits non-violence viewpoints and loving your neighbor).

“See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.”

There is a lot going on here - don’t be evil and stay away from evil; always try to do good; always be joyful, always pray - and “Be thankful in all circumstances”.

But God (He/She/It/Ahh/The Force) - I can’t be thankful. I’m sick.  I fell. I had an accident that was my fault.  I don’t have any money and the rent is due.  My parents hate me.  I am ugly.  I am failing college.  I got kicked out of the band.  I <whatever>

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TIME OUT.

The verse says “In ALL CIRCUMSTANCES” - another translation says “IN EVERYTHING”.  “ALL” is one of those tough words.  All means 100%.  When I wrote True/False tests I might throw in an ALL phrase.  Maybe something dumb like “You should always leave a house if there is a fire”. (I know many people might have a fire in the fireplace this week!!!).  In Math, there might be an “ALL” condition.  The answer is right or it is not right (aka “wrong”).  

IN EVERYTHING give thanks.  If you are sick - give thanks, if you fell - give thanks; if you had an accident - give thanks; if you don’t have any money - give thanks; if your parents hate you - give thanks; if you are ugly - give thanks; if you are failing college - give thanks.  

A year-and-one-half ago I had a minor accident that was my fault.  I was a car at a stop sign that was on a slight downward incline.  I reached over to get something that had fallen on the floor on the passenger side and my foot came off the brake enough to slide forward and rear-end the car in front.  

I got out of my car and was giving thanks (this verse was in my mind).  

Was it going to help if I was upset?  

Some years back on a very icy night a car slid down a side road into the intersection where I was and hit me and another car.  The person in the third car got out yelling and screaming “I just made my last car payment”. “My husband is going to kill me”.  

Maybe being angry and screaming helped her, but I doubt it.  “IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS”.  

Do I always (there is that 100% word again in a slightly different form) give thanks - in both good things and bad things?  (Unfortunately no).  

It all comes down to attitude: “ You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:6)

If you are giving thanks for the accident, giving thanks for the poverty, giving thanks for your circumstances, your attitude takes on a positive thrust.  

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Yes, on thanksgiving we count our blessings - but shouldn’t we count our good - AND BAD blessings every day - by being THANKFUL in all situations?

Philippians 4:3 says, “I thank my God every time I remember you”.  As a friend (or even an enemy) pops into your brain, do you say “THANK YOU” for the remembrance?  

A friend recently shared a dream of a friend and how she had hugged this friend in her dream.  Will you be hugging your friends and relatives this Thanksgiving season?

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And, a thought:

Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for. 

~ Zig Ziglar --

If you are nice to another person, they will be nice to you (kind of a rephrasing of the Golden Rule)

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I HAVE been blessed and I give THANKS every day for my blessings - and I try (not always successfully) to be THANKFUL.

SO, in this Thanksgiving Week, I’m focusing on being thankful in ALL circumstances!!!  

How about you?

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, © NOVEMBER 22, 2022