Let’s take time to restore Thanksgiving
What happened to all of us coming together as a family to give thanks to God for every thing he gave us and to enjoy a special time, Thanksgiving. It was a time when everybody relaxed and just enjoyed being together. What really stuck with me was when we all gathered around the Thanksgiving table. Everyone sat there kind of quiet because we all knew that the woman of the house was getting ready to say the blessing, but after she finished everybody would start talking at once, pass the turkey, hand me the potatoes, pass the stuffing, etc. There was a lot of laughter, smiles and everybody enjoyed talking to each other.
When it was time for everyone to leave, they all seemed to be happier and more content. Everyone would hug each other and say, have a safe trip home and have a Merry Christmas. We all appreciated and was thankful for everything we had, no matter how great or small
Then Thanksgiving became the one holiday that a lot of us began to forget. Changes in our lifestyles, young married couples were forced to move further away from home in order to raise their families, contributed to some of it.
Businesses went straight from Halloween to Christmas on their shelves. We started being more concerned about materialistic things and became so busy to even take time to give thanks for what we had. So what happens to our children? Well, they become like us and end up wishing for the same things.
You have to admit, it is hard for families to be together on this holiday, but it doesn’t mean that we have to completely erase it from our lives. Send a card, call your family, use Facebook to wish people a happy and blessed Thanksgiving.
We can also take time and explain to our kids, the importance of giving thanks to God and impress upon them to say “Thank you.” A lot of young kids have forgotten how to say it we parents could to say it more often too.
“Forgotten holiday and a forgotten word.” We all know that we can do more to restore this holiday. Just take time and try to get your love ones to appreciate this special聽 time. May God bless us and guide us to do what is right.
Give thanks to God and may you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving no matter how far apart you may be.
In God we trust.
Gene Barnhart
McClellandtown