The OTHER Thanksgiving

Well, another Thanksgiving has come and gone. 

I tried writing a Thanksgiving post, I really did, but I just could not bring myself to do it. 

Why? Because I didn't want Thanksgiving to be over. Turkey Day? That can be over. It's the other thanksgiving I hope never ends.

According to the online dictionary, "thanksgiving" (yes, I Googled it) has two meanings:

The first is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November.

The second is "the expression of gratitude" (that should be) celebrated in the heart of every Christian, every day of the year. 

I put "that should be" in parenthesis because, and I think I speak for everyone when I say this, we do not thank God near enough...and he deserves every ounce of our thanks and praise. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." It doesn't say to give thanks in some circumstances but in all circumstances - the good, bad, difficult, and easy. Not just Thanksgiving Day but every day. 

God's grace is never-ending; His love is never-failing; His mercies are everlasting. The very least we can do is approach the throne every day with a thankful heart because without His grace, love, and mercy we would have nothing, be nothing.

When we repeatedly express our gratitude, our perspective shifts and we no longer find ourselves bitter about the things we don't have or the circumstances we don't like. Instead, we see our circumstances with new eyes and find ourselves content as we trust God and His purposes for our lives. After all, "It is not joy that makes us grateful. It is gratitude that makes us joyful." 

A heart of thanksgiving is essential to the Christian faith, as it keeps our hearts aligned with His. It may not always be "well with [our] circumstances" but it can be "well with [our] soul." 

Don't wait until the fourth Thursday in November of 2016 to be thankful. Thank Him every day, every time it crosses your mind, and encourage others to do the same. 

After all, there is always, ALWAYS something to be thankful for! 

If you're unfamiliar with the hymn, It Is Well, I've attached Jimmy Needham's version of it. I may or may not have sobbed two Sundays ago when we sang it in church. If you're interested in the story behind the hymn, you can read about it here.

If you're a hymn-lover like me, you should also check out his version of Holy Holy Holy, Come Thou Fount, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, and Joyful Joyful. While you're at it, you should also listen to The Reason I Sing, Being Small, and Firefly. Actually, just set aside the next few hours and listen to all his songs and download them as you please. Did I mention he's an Aggie?

Your Interests Don't Define Your Intelligence

I came across an article the other day written by a Journalism major. Paige DiFiore was fighting to remind society, "Every major has value and requires some form of intelligence - never let anyone make you think otherwise. Nothing says smart like fighting for your dreams and following your passions." 

I absolutely love that.

Having graduated with a degree in Communication and minor in English, this is not foreign to me. I've carefully observed the expressions on people's faces change to a subtle look of disappointment after announcing that I was a Communication major.

"Oh, so you talk for a living? Doesn't everybody do that?"

The sarcastic side of me wanted to say, "ACTUALLY, NOW THAT I THINK ABOUT IT, I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M EVEN IN COLLEGE. WHAT A WASTE OF TIME! You'll have to excuse me, I need to go make an appointment with Dean of Admissions. I NEED MY TUITION BACK!"

Instead, I tried to smile and take the comment as lightly as possible...but to be honest, it hurt knowing that others saw my major and passion as a waste of time and not worth dedicating four years of my life to.

And you know what else?

I'm guilty of believing them.

I've made "digs" at my own intelligence because time and time again, others have given the impression that "talking for a living" is not enough...that my passions are not enough, my dreams are not enough, my gifts and talents are not enough, I am not enough.

And I know I'm not the only one who has ever felt this way.

DiFiore reminds us, "[Our] major says nothing about [our] intelligence - it says something about [our] passions."

There is a famous quote by Howard Thurman that says, "Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."

Never allow yourself to feel inferior to others because you're following your dreams and pursuing what you're most passionate about. 

Your passions ARE enough. Your dreams ARE enough. The gifts and talents you have ARE enough.

YOU ARE ENOUGH.

Don't belittle the person God made you to be.

You were intricately made.

God spent the same amount of time dousing you with a passion for writing, speaking, teaching, etc. as he did dousing others with a passion for healing, building, and problem-solving.

All are important. All are needed.

If you are using the gifts God has given you for the benefit of others, that, to me, makes you a raving success.