Why Are We Afraid of Thanksgiving?

     I know what your first reaction to that question is.  "I'm not afraid of Thanksgiving.  I love it!"  So why do we jump across it like a narrow stream in the forest?  Summer ends and we set our sights on Halloween.  Then the next thing you see are commercials for Christmas.  Christmas trees start showing up in the stores.  Santa is on television.  The radio starts playing Christmas music.  the listings are given for all he Christmas movies to be shown on your favorite television stations.  And all the new movies come out when  At Christmas!
     A friend of mine teaches 4th grade music.  She recently said this on Facebook:

"...I think these 4th graders deserve to be heard.  My intention was just to teach them "Over the River and Through the Woods," but that led to a discussion of what families used to do together during holidays before television.  I was not prepared for the anger.  Student after student described begging their parent(s) to turn off the television on Thanksgiving so they could do something together.  Some of these were kids who like to be seen as tough.  They said that their begging did no good, and that their parents replied, "This is what we do on Thanksgiving."  They started talking together about ways to sabotage the TV watching, including unplugging it, smashing it, and setting it on fire.  When I asked them what they wished their families would do on Thanksgiving, here is what they said:  1.  Play games together.  2.  Go around the room and say nice things about each other.  3.  Give thanks for the things we have.  Food for thought..."

     Admit it.  Most of us are excited for Thanksgiving for two, maybe three reasons.  Reason #1.  Food.  We could make a list right now of what we'll be eating for the Thanksgiving meal.  Turkey, possibly ham, dressing, cranberry salad, green beans, corn casserole, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, pecan or pumpkin pie...or both.  We eat until we can eat no more.  Then we eat the leftovers fir the next several days.

     Reason #2.  Time off.  Time off from work or school.  A long weekend.  Naps.  Between meal snacks.  Another nap.

     Reason #3.  And this one isn't for everyone, but I'll say it in one word.....football.  My wife and I ate with a family one time who would eat and then not eat dessert until the Dallas Cowboys scored.  (Lately, that's been a long time!)

     But why are we afraid to verbalize our thoughts and feelings?  Why can't we look our family, our friends in the eye and sincerely thank them for what they mean in your life?

     Part of this, I think, is an admission that I need you.  That we need each other.  We live in a "pull yourself up by your bootstrap" mentality that says, "I am strong.  I am tough.  You can't bring me down."  To be thankful is to admit that the score isn't even.  Someone pays for something that is your expense.  You nearly get into a brawl because you don't want them paying for your meal or your car repair or the labor costs you have incurred.

     My brother-in-law tore out a deck on the back of my house once when I couldn't help.  When I asked him what I could do to repay him, he brushed it off and said, "You don't understand.  I LIKE doing this."

     I had one of my elders who would compliment me on something I had done...a program, a sermon, a speaker I had invited in.  I would deflect the praise as best I could.  Then he would look at me and say, "Just say, 'thank you.'"

     Don't try to do anything this Thanksgiving holiday except to say, "Thank you."  Thank God.  Thank your parents if they're still around.  Thank your children.  Thank your friends.  Don't do anything else.  Just say, "Thank you."

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful."  Colossians 3:15