Thanksgiving
Turkey spirit
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in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NET)
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The older I get, the more Thanksgiving becomes my favorite holiday.
Sure, some of that has to do with the traditional Thanksgiving feast (which is really what the English eat for Christmas dinner … maybe we should do that for Christmas too???).
But mostly it’s because it gives me a chance to stop and be thankful.
It’s quite an extraordinary holiday. A chance to slow down, be with people who mean the most to your life, and be grateful for life.
I suppose that’s one of the reasons I don’t like Christmas season creeping into it … because I want to give this great day its due.
Anyway, this verse obviously reminds me of that great festival.
Paul tells us that we are to always have an attitude of gratitude.
Easy to do when we’re feeling blessed.
But what about being thankful for the hard things?
The times when our dreams were crushed … our relationships broke … when life became a struggle?
Can I really be thankful in everything?
I think so, but it takes work.
Some of the best business coaches in the world talk about ending each day thinking about what you’re thankful for. And these are guys who aren’t even believers! They just recognize how powerful this attitude is in driving you toward a great life.
We have a God who is a master at fixing broken things.
Because of that, there’s always something we can be thankful for.
Maybe we need the Spirit’s help to find it, but it’s there, if only we will look.
— Ricky Ketchum
Copyright © 2025 by Ricky Ketchum. All rights reserved. Unauthorized duplication prohibited.
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