The Thanksgiving Feast is nine-days away. Changes to menus and seating charts occur with almost every phone call. Travel plans are firm, and ears are alert for weather changes. A long list of “Things To Do” sits on the kitchen counter with a pen ready to add more tasks.
Excitement consumes the atmosphere with anticipation of family gatherings.
Thanksgiving and family go together. The holiday for family gatherings, a feast of turkey, ham, and cultural specialties promoting overeating and all day grazing. Don’t forget the pies!
Stress and dysfunction are silent undercurrents of the gratitude holiday.
There comes a time you can’t can’t wait until the day is over.For many, that day is already here.
Through the years these points have helped me, and I believe they will help you too.
- Remember the Evil One is waiting for an opportunity to steal, murder, and destroy your holiday celebration. (John 10:10) Be aware, and stop him at the first sign of lies, anger, distrust, temper, and unworthy thoughts or behavior.
- Practice forgiveness and compassion in everything you do and say. This is how we love others and love ourselves. It is how God loves us.
- Forgiveness doesn’t come easy. I remember saying “I forgive you,” through gritted teeth over and over again until could say it and not feel anger. I filled a big blue trash bin with weeds and tears that day. The exercise filled my heart with a bud of understanding. I learned to practice forgiveness. I accepted my role in the issue, forgave myself and asked for forgiveness from others. The key to forgiveness is learning it is more than saying “I forgive you.” A change in your heart is required.
- Compassion is kindness, concern, consideration and simply putting others before yourself. Empathy requires you have walked in their shoes in your own life, so you understand what they may be experiencing. Both can defuse a rising situation when you are willing to step in with compassion and step up with empathy.
Thankfulness is on everyone’s mind. Those of you who started the month using a gratitude journal are a step ahead now. For the next nine days write down everyday gratitude and thankfulness. Dig deep search for what is meaningful to you. When the gathering family shares what each one is thankful for, your reflection and gratitude will also show your love for your family.- One last tip! If you expect to see someone who you have an ongoing issue with, picture a time when you both enjoyed each other and were happy; bring the picture to mind right before arrival and let the happy time be the spark to compassion.
I have found all of these helpful to me over the years. I hope you see their benefit too. When I post this on Tuesday, nine days remain until feast day. Preparing for the holiday is more than baking pies and setting the table. It is also readying your heart.
Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow. – Melody Beattie
