The Name is Thanksgiving 1

I hate, hate, hate it when people refer to Thanksgiving as Turkey Day.

I’m not 100% sure why this phrase elicits such a negative reaction from me, but it just bothers me. It feels that so often in this country when their is a holiday that might have even remotely religious undertones, we try to divert the holidy away from its true meaning/purpose.

So, Thanksgiving becomes Turkey Day. Christmas becomes all about Santa, elves, and gimme gimme gimme whatever I want. Easter becomes about eating as much candy as possible and about cute little bunnies.

Don’t get me wrong, I love all the aspects of these holidays. I’m not on an anti-Santa campaign or anything like that here. I just wish that we wouldn’t forget the meanings of these holidays.

Thanksgiving – be thankful for the blessings in your life, whether or not you believe in the same God I do. Be thankful for health, family, friends, your job, your house, etc. etc. We as Americans have many things to be thankful for.

Christmas – take time to realize the true meaning of the holiday. It is about the birth of Jesus Christ – plain and simple. Even we as Christians tend to materialize the holiday more than it is supposed to be sometimes. Without Jesus, we have no hope as people in this world. If you don’t believe that, that’s ok, but it’s my job to share that with you.

Easter – although the birth of Christ is important, His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection is even more so. Without Christ’s death and resurrection we have no atonement for our sins. We have No One to bare our punishment for us. We have no hope. Period.

I love that these 3 major holidays come pretty much right in a row. And even though the Christian overtones of these holidays may have diminished over time, it does not mean that they are any less true.

I hope that you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope that this holiday season finds you well. It if doesn’t, look up. Look up to the God who is our one and only hope in this world. You won’t regret it.