the four blessings of “thankmas”
Americans have a blessing that prepares the way for Christmas, kind of like John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus' ministry. Jesus' biographers explain that God sent John to preach that the Kingdom of God was coming and that they would be ready for the Messiah if they turned towards God. John's words came true. When Jesus came on the scene, many people were prepared to hear His message. They were ready for Jesus.
We, too, have a way to prepare for Jesus each Christmas. It's called Thanksgiving. There is no better way to prepare for the coming of Jesus than to give thanks to God. So, I am designating a new holiday. It's called Thankmas! Thankmas is where Thanksgiving and Christmas meet. Here's how to celebrate.
Focus upon what you have, not on what you want. In our materialistic culture, we can succumb to the consumerism of the soul that reduces our prayers and desires to shopping lists. Thankfulness looks outwards, not inwards. It re-aligns our hearts so that our desires revolve around God instead of making God revolve around us.
I like what one of Cheryl Crows songs states. She sings, "It's not having what you want, but wanting what you've got." The Apostle Paul put it this way when he was speaking from a Roman prison cell. ". . . for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 3:11-13
Let's face it, the object and compelling message of cultural Christmas is to make us think about what we don't have. You don't have enough clothes, or even worse, you don't have the coolest clothes. You don't have the latest invention from the Apple computer company. How could you not have that? You are deprived. You don't have the right perfume, which is why you do not attract the hottest guys. You need this perfume. You are watching a TV, that is way too small and outdated. Really? What, exactly are you going to do when it's time for the Superbowl. Get a life. Get a new flatscreen. Your child does not have the latest version of Xbox or PS3. How dare you deprive that child! You should be in jail. Get this child a new Xbox and all the games they need to have meaningful friendships with their pals.
The second blessing of THANKMAS is the celebration of grace.
This, as you can see, is a turtle sitting on a fence post. If a turtle wanted to sit on a fence post, he would humble himself and find someone willing to place him on the top. Turtles do not have the natural ability to sit on fence posts. If a turtle could find someone kind enough to put them on a fence post, that would be called grace. It is assumed that the turtle would appreciate and thank the one who placed the one who got them there. It might be even more important if the same person would be willing to take the turtle down after he had enjoyed the view. When the journey was complete, you would expect the turtle to be extremely thankful that someone had allowed him to see what he would never have otherwise seen and to do what he would never have otherwise been able to do. Thankmas appreciates grace.
You didn't get where you are on your own. We are all blessed by God and many graceful people. Take a few moments today, and thank God for the "view."
The third blessing of Thanksgiving is that the celebration encourages a positive attitude. Thankmas forces us to think about what is right with our lives rather than what is wrong. Recognizing the good in our lives is especially important today, isn't it? Thanking God is a proven way of piercing the gloomiest of clouds.
I read the story of a king in Africa who had a close friend with whom he grew up. The friend had a habit of looking at every situation in his life, positive or negative, and remarking, "This is good!"
One day the king and his friend were on a hunting expedition. The friend loaded and prepared the guns for the king to shoot. On one occasion, the friend had misloaded one of the guns. When the king fired the weapon, his thumb was blown off. Examining the situation, the friend remarked as usual, "This is good!" The king replied, "No, this is not good!" and proceeded to send his friend to jail.
About a year later, the king was hunting in a restricted area. Cannibals captured him and took him to their village. They tied his hands, stacked some wood, set up a stake, and bound him to the pole. He was about to become their thanksgiving dinner. As his captors came near to set fire to the wood, they noticed that the king was missing a thumb. Being superstitious, they never ate anyone less than whole. So, they untied the king and sent him on his way.
As he returned home, he remembered the event that had taken his thumb and felt remorse for his friend's treatment. He went immediately to the jail to speak with his friend. "You were right," he said, "it was good that my thumb was blown off." He proceeded to tell his friend of his cannibal encounter. "And so, I am very sorry for sending you to jail for so long. It was bad for me to do this."
"No," his friend replied, "This is good!" "What do you mean, 'This is good'? How could it be good that I sent my friend to jail for a year?"
"If I had not been in jail, I would have been with you."
So, here's the deal. You may be experiencing some difficult times right now. Don't allow troubles to make your Thanksgiving and Christmas miserable. What's more, if you are unhappy, you will most likely make others sad. Decide now that you will be thankful throughout this entire season.
The fourth blessing of THANKMAS is that your gratitude will spill over into other peoples' lives.
I've read that many American families are not gathering today because of COVID. Considering the fact that so many complain about spending the day with "not so fun" relatives, this is quite a turn of events. The pandemic has solved that problem. However, now some folks are complaining because they cannot spend the holiday with relatives.
We cannot thank God for difficult colleagues, relatives, or neighbors for long before finding that we express a positive attitude towards them. Grumpiness and irritability do not grow well in a climate of gratitude. Those who regularly give thanks to God find they are ready to give to others. Gratitude and generosity go hand in hand.
You know, some of us will make the celebration of the season even more enjoyable for everyone we meet. Thankfulness will spill over into all kinds of situations and relationships.
Two-time Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington is known for many significant movie roles. Washington is very transparent about his Christian faith. Denzel reads the Bible every day strives to consistently "get up and speak of what God has done for him." He credits his success to God.
At a November 2015 church banquet, he urged his listeners to live in a constant attitude of gratitude for God's goodness: "Give thanks for blessings every day. Every day. Embrace gratitude. Encourage others. It is impossible to be grateful and hateful at the same time. I pray that you put your slippers way under your bed at night so that when you wake in the morning, you have to start on your knees to find them. And while you're down there, say "thank you." A bad attitude is like a flat tire. Until you change it, you're not going anywhere."
Denzel's words are reminiscent of the Apostle Paul found in the New Testament Bible book of 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 15 to 17. Paul exhorts,
17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Give thanks in ALL circumstances. Sage advice! (emphasis mine)
May you enjoy a blessed holiday season, and may you share your joy with everyone you meet. Happy Thankmas!
