Happy Thanksgiving 2020 – The Real Reason We Should All be Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a day we should appreciate even if  you may not be in America but all over the world by being thankful. I understand that this may be hard to do especially in today’s time, but we MUST try.

Why We Give Thanks

Today we have LIFE and it sad to say that many today are dying, have died and can no longer appreciate Life and giving thanks. This day is for those who have lost their lives, not only those who have died from COVID-19, but from others sicknesses and suicides due to having to deal with these unprecedented times. Surely many people in our country and the world are going hungry on the verge of homeliness and poverty I know it may be hard for those individuals to be thankful, but many are because they have LIFE.

I truly people humanity is a lot tougher than we give ourselves credit for. One thing I am truly thankful among many things Is GOD in my life and that he has been there in my life through thick and thin never leaving me behind even when I felt he would and should leave me. JESUS is the center of my life, my Rock giving me the means to seeing the brightness in another day ahead. I have not been the perfect Christian and I ask myself who is.

I have sinned, have acted and thought in ways that were unchristian. I have struggled this year with my faith, no necessarily in my lack of faith in GOD but more so into practicing my faith and not letting the world and its cruelty get into my life.

I have been angry especially with the world of politics being told as a Christian who I should support and if I don’t then why call myself a Christian. I have taken that anger and frustration and projected it online in social media being a troll at times.

Looking in the mirror I had to leave social media behind which was difficult but necessary in my life. I am working to refocus on what is important such as my family, my writing and my relationship with GOD.

Giving Thanks to GOD

As a Christian we are to see Thanksgiving differently then others as this day is NOT just about stuffing my face, but about giving thanks, being grateful for my life which I still have a problem with at times because frankly I still look at others lives who I perceive to be better and I say to myself where did I fall short, I know I know we shouldn’t compare ourselves to others but it is difficult when I look at my life and yes I have blessings my wife, daughter, a roof over my head and even some money, Jobs of course so yes from many I am blessed and I say I am. The problem for me is wanting more blessings , but I guess that can seem selfish at times and I admit It can be but I will do better to be more grateful for what I have now.

Its so important to be grateful to GOD and give thanks because studies have shown when we reflect thankfulness, we experience fewer heart issues, fewer aches and pains and of course affects our outlook on life.

As a Christian this is what GOD says about being thankful:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation”

(Psalm 100:4–5 NLT)

God is truly on our side especially when we are in crisis and trouble which it appears much of world is at this time, we are to call in the name of the Lord. I know when things are good like when we have money in the bank, the bills are paid life is good we tend to forget about GOD, lets not do that.

As mentioned I have focused at times on materialistic things in a way to weigh whether I should be more or less thankful but know I need to be more thankful especially in these times and should really work to remember:

“Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you’”

(13:5 NLT)

During thanksgiving 2020  I will work to remember I believe to GOD and that :

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want” 

(verse 1 NKJV)

Remembering what GOD says we must stop always wanting and I know that can be hard, we live in a world of consumerism focused on getting us things we may not need but just want redirecting our focus away from what is truly important like our family, our health and of course our relationship with God Almighty.

For those reading this you may say well I don’t believe in GOD, I am an atheist, but truly you do believe in something. A simple metaphor is when you drive your car you put on your seat belt believing the seat belt will save your life in time of crash, again showing you Believe. GOD is no different in believing yes we may not physically see him but he is omnipresent watching over us , caring for us even when we may not want it.

A Day I was Most Thankful

The best example I can remember is a rather tragic event that happened on thanksgiving two years ago, the day I almost LOST my daughter , yes I was afraid she was going to Die. Everything was happy on that day as we were going to celebrate with my sister , future brother in law and father for thanksgiving dinner.

Pull up in front of her crowded apartment building unloading the family when suddenly my then six year old daughter Mikaylah ran to her grandfather who at the time was not truly paying attention but distracted by the dog when a speeding car driving down the street already filled with cars struck my daughter.

As my back was turned I heard the screams of my wife and her mother that our daughter was hit by a car. As I look in agony and fear seeing my daughter lying conscience scared and crying. Running up to her , there was no blood, no broken bones but tossed to the side. Unsure of how she was hit as it appeared she hit the back of head.

Long story short she was ok, with a few scraps and bruises, no concussion, Thank God. What was clear to me was it was as If an Angel had pulled my daughter to safety giving my wife and I a valuable lesson in trust and never fully letting kids have control over their own movement as they are unpredictable.

For a few hours we did spend in the hospital , returning later to share in our thanksgiving dinner, a thanksgiving truly unforgettable remembering the day we almost lost the most precious god given gift we had our daughter.

As you imagine today we must give thanks for our daughter who continues to amaze us with her strength thankful for her in our lives.

God Sustains Us

Remember God sustaiuns us, everything we have is a gift from God. Every breath and every beat in our heart are gifts from God.

Maybe right now, you have a lot of uncertainty in your life, like a job loss, a family member loss, sickness, no money and a slew of other things bringing you down this season. Remember it’s a season and it shall pass as well, but you can still give thanks. You can give thanks because God Loves you and this is the time to put aside the anger, the division in your life, the hate and just give thanks to the people in our life who we love, that we find irreplaceable, but also to remember we are one of billions in this world, yet GOD loves you equally not more or less but equal, where else can you truly say that you are loved equally, certainty not in this world, but only by GOD.

If these message was too preachy for you I am sorry but not sorry, because deep down I just want to share the importance of being thankful. God Bless you and remember what Jesus says even if you are not a believer:

Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom”

(Luke 12:32 NKJV)

Remember God is good, give thanks because as the bible says He “causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Romans 8:28 NLT).

Each year is one less year we have in this life even if you are young and especially if you are old, we all have an end date and only God knows that end date so why not live in thankfulness.

Hopefully you see my heart through this message, wishing you, your loved ones a blessed thanksgiving.