Thanksgiving

Dozens of police officers in Illinois served their community Sunday afternoon at the third annual "Because We Care Thanksgiving Dinner."

If we initiate saying thank you to God from our mouths, it will only be a matter of time before our hearts catch up and re-align with sincere gratitude. Psalm 34:1 teaches us, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." Let us learn to speak the language of thankfulness no matter what.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving tomorrow, let’s resolve to be people for whom others give thanks. And let’s do so out of transforming gratitude for the One to whom we direct the thanksgiving of our tables and of our hearts.

Looking around my hometown of Los Angeles, my heart soars with gratitude. My home is safe, my bills are paid, and I am fortunate to be able to serve my family an ample Thanksgiving meal. And yet, I am fully aware that hundreds of thousands of Angelinos face a constant struggle just to have their basic needs met. My heart especially goes out to the valiant mothers who fight poverty every single day for the sake of their families.

The stillness of Thanksgiving is followed by the frenetic motion of the pre-Christmas holiday shopping days:  Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and then the unexpected day arrives. It is called Giving Tuesdays. What a refreshing day to follow in the spirit of Thanks-giving.

According to a new YouGov tracking poll on America's most famous events, Thanksgiving has surpassed Christmas as the nation’s favorite holiday.

As we gather with family this Thanksgiving, please join me in honoring the legacy of our faith and freedom by remembering the significance of this yearly celebration.

In the Christian faith we focus – quite understandably – on the awesome truth that in the crucifixion of Jesus, God himself was purchasing our forgiveness. That is the greatest gift we could ever have and we must always be grateful for that. Yet there are also an enormous number of other smaller things where God’s love towards his children spills over into numerous different areas and we should recognise them everywhere.

One conversation at the water cooler or in passing with your neighbor is enough to remind you that people are upset, scared, depressed, or hurting. So, how could we possibly celebrate Thanksgiving with gratitude? Not with earthly platitudes that fail to warm a broken heart stripped of all hope. We need more than that. So, where do we turn?

With the holiday season upon us, we need to be aware of those around us who are struggling. For people who have experienced pain, financial burdens, trauma, and homelessness, the holidays can be a sad and triggering time of year.