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?