Nov 22, 2023

Thanksgiving Tidbits

A Few Things to Remember on Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a celebration of the Fall harvest and more importantly a celebration or a time to show gratitude for so many Blessings. Today, gratitude is almost a thing of the past. For example, it’s not uncommon to give up one’s time to attend a wedding celebration and present the bride and groom with the most lovely, well thought-out gift and never receive a formal or heartfelt thanks for your sacrifice or contribution. It’s just not today’s trend! So thank God we set aside this day to reflect on His Goodness, all our abundant Blessings and the fellowship we have with those we’ve bonded with either by Blood or by LOVE.
Reportedly, the Thanksgiving celebration first began in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts with the Pilgrims who came together to give thanks for their harvest and other blessings that occurred during the previous year. Then in 1863, former President Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday in November as a National day of celebration.
Because of who you are, it goes without saying that we, the body of baptized believers, do NOT place our focus on the food that will grace our tables. Our primary focus is giving “thanks” each and every day of our lives. There is so much to be thankful for!
Prayerfully, everyone will have the opportunity to celebrate relationships with family and friends. That is the true purpose of the extravagant meal. Food seems to always bring us together, doesn’t it? We expect to enjoy delicious dishes at Thanksgiving and sharing with others is an important part of spending time with those we Love! May God allow us to spend MORE quality time socializing, connecting and reconnecting with family, friends and new acquaintances!
If there’s any thought about being somewhat healthy on this day, we may want to not only start our day with prayer. We may also want to eat a light breakfast so we aren’t feeling starved by the time our Thanksgiving meal is prepared.
And when the serving dishes are passed around the table or the buffet line begins, why not start off with small portions which may satisfy our bellies and then we can return for a second helping that can be enjoyed without us going overboard?

The Four Rivers Naturopathic Clinic reminds us that if we eat meals containing foods that make us feel strengthened and able to keep moving afterwards, we’ve done a good thing! Of course, this isn’t the most popular practice; however it is a very good thing. The study isn’t advocating that we avoid the dishes we love. It’s suggesting that we do so in moderation, saving some for later in the day or even the next day. This is just food for thought.

The final bullet for today is to slow down and savor the flavors of each bite. Is it possible to chew each bite 10 times before swallowing? We are asked to practice closing our eyes and taking a few deep breaths each time we put a fork or spoon to our mouths. Perhaps we can also use this time to again thank God for His bountiful Blessings - there are so many! Thank God for the harvest. Thank God for the hand that prepared the meal. Thank God for finding favor with us that we are priviledged to dine with so many choices at our hand. Thank God for the gathering, the fellowship, the camaraderie, the Love shared around the table, the lives who have touched us down through the years and the lives who we will touch in today’s journey.

Now in-between each bite, we are asked to lay down the cutlery before moving on to the next bite. Sounds strange, I know. Unless we're pressed for time, what harm is there in slowly enjoying the pleasures of such a magnificent meal? There’s nothing wrong with savoring the taste, the unique color, smell, flavor and distinct texture associated with each delightful bite. “O taste and see that the LORD is good!”

And then Philippians 4:6 tells us to “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let our requests be made known unto God.” So if we don’t have everything we hoped for, we can present it to God by Faith knowing that He has already worked it out for our good! Amen!


Leatha Foreman 11/22/23 #1023