Then a loud whisper from the hostess declared, “The food is getting cold!” The nervous quiet was broken as we took hands and I offered up a thirty-second prayer of thanks to God for His goodness, the food, and for each other. Everyone said Amen, and we took our seats to enjoy a wonderful meal together.

Conversation was dominated with requests for passing this and that and saying how good everything looked and smelled. It was a good feeling to be with all of these people and to be sharing this food and this day. The routine of it all was comforting, but something was missing. I wasn’t sure what it was, but then while chewing on a piece of turkey and some mashed potatoes, a thought began to form in my mind, born from my own frustration with the holiday and mixed with my desire for it to become a truly meaningful and honorable feast unto the One who gives us life and all good things.

It was clear to me that the parameters of our thankfulness needed to be expanded to include more than just what we could recall at the moment around the table. We needed to come prepared to share, and I suddenly saw how that could be achieved.

We, as a nation, went to the effort to set aside a whole day out of the year to be reminded of our many blessings. So why not come up with a way to bring our blessings from throughout the year into the celebration?

To offer up a few obvious thoughts without any mention of the personal moments of the year seems almost an insult to the Author of those blessings. It would be similar to dining out at a fine restaurant, being served with great service, and then leaving a fifty-cent tip for the server! They would probably prefer that you didn’t leave one at all; at least then they would think that maybe you just forgot.

Our western, secular culture has many positive aspects to it, but one of the regrettable things we tend to do is to take meaningful days and events and turn them into empty shells of their former selves. Part of the problem is our own human nature. We are all comfortable to go with the flow of an event or day instead of interjecting a thought or insight to make it more meaningful, not understanding that it takes effort to combat two natural and very real laws or nature: incrementalism and diminishing returns. Unless we make an effort to keep the holiday meaningful, it will become meaningless.

One of the potential beauties of Thanksgiving is the fact that everyone, regardless of religious affiliation, can celebrate it. It is a day to be grateful for who we are and where we are; to take stock of what we have in this life and to take a moment to appreciate it.

It is not the purpose of this book to criticize the ways in which we celebrate our holiday; rather it is my intention to offer suggestions on how to make Thanksgiving more meaningful…

It was a few years ago as friends and family gathered in typical fashion for a day of fellowship and food. Gender groups were gathered in their time-worn sections of the house; the men were near the television and snack table while the women were coming and going through the kitchen doors and checking on the kids who were upstairs sharing secrets, or were outside playing basketball in the driveway.

The hum of activity and conversation was in full swing when the three-word announcement, “Okay, it’s ready!” caused a thundering of feet from all quarters as twenty people gathered around the dining room table. It was a familiar and enjoyable moment as a hungry group of beloved people prepared for a serious moment of thanks before partaking of the diverse spread of food laid out before us.

As was customary, a person was asked to lead us all in a prayer of thanks before we sat down. This year, it was my turn, causing a bit of pre-prayer nervousness on my part. Everyone was silent as I asked if anyone had something to be thankful for this year. The quiet became deafening as nineteen pairs of eyes looked down at their plates, hoping I would not call on any of them to speak. I let the quiet continue until an outspoken aunt shared that she was grateful for the health of her family. Someone else said they were thankful for their children while another spoke of being thankful they lived in a free country.

As we communicate with people through the course of our days, we impact lives by the words that we speak.

          A wholesome tongue is a tree of life. Proverbs 15:4

          Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21

In America, we have set aside a special day for all individuals and families to celebrate the bounty of our country and the freedom to enjoy it. There is tradition involved in this celebration, from the type of meal we set out, to the clothes we wear, to who it is we share the meal and day with. We call it Thanksgiving.

Yet, in so many instances, the day and traditions have become empty of meaning and long-term value. Many do not even partake of the act of giving thanks before they devour the spread of food before them, eager to return to the second half of the game or to get the kitchen clean and the leftovers put away. And then, it is over, to be repeated again next year with even less meaning or value.

It is the law of Diminishing Returns. Sadly, some now look forward to the day after thanksgiving for the sales even more then the day itself.
An example from my own life follows…

An Empty Vessel

In order to give thanks, one must first recognize that a gift has been given. All of life is a gift, whether we recognize it or not.
Every aspect and facet of life has come from something other than our own doing. We are incapable of sustaining or crating life of any kind on our own. The degree to which we recognize and accept this fact determines the potential level to which we will rise in our giving of thanks.

The words thank you are spoken or written by millions of people every day. It is an important part of our social language and structure to express and to receive thanks as we work and live together in this amazing country on this awesome planet.

These two words have the power to lift a heart or, if omitted, can infuriate a soul. As a people, we are dependent on each others’ abilities, gifts, and services in the building and sustaining of our lives and livelihood.

Thanksgiving: To exhibit an attitude of thanks, of gratitude, toward the giver of a gift.

The Thanksgiving Handbook explores the concept, the attitude and the action of our giving of thanks, both during our designated holiday of Thanksgiving and in our everyday life, with the purpose of expanding the parameters of our understanding as it pertains to our offering up thanks for our blessings, our gifts, and for life itself.

In Part One, we will look at the history of Thanksgiving and the foundation laid for our day of celebration. We will look at the beauty and the blessing of the day and discuss ways to bring deeper meaning to what we do on that day, sharing thoughts and stories of people who have found reason to be thankful.

Part two looks at the development of an attitude of thanksgiving as it pertains to our everyday lives and the potential power it contains to change our lives in a manner that we all desire. We will then build a bridge of understanding between the acquired daily walk of giving thanks and the day we set aside to celebrate our year of living and walking.

In Part Three, our discussion will center on the Beyond of this life and the deep and lasting value of our having learned how to be a thankful person while walking our given and unique path here on earth…