The thankful part of Thanksgiving

It is that time of year again. Holiday music starting to play, some crisper days with chilly temperatures and the calendar filling up with holiday celebrations.

First up, Thanksgiving.

How are your preparations?

It’s usually at this point in the season that I get sent in as a cleanup hitter to pick up items at the grocery store that were missed in the first pass.

They already got the big stuff: the turkey, the stuffing, and a pie or two. But, we forgot the cranberry sauce (because no one eats that stuff anyway), the celery/olives/pickles that you put out just to make it feel like you’re trying to eat right, and the cream cheese for the last minute cheese ball.

Yep, finishing the list is important if you want to be ready for the big day. I wonder if we make the same effort to be prepared to actually be thankful on this day we called Thanksgiving. I mean, we named the day after thankfulness… I think we should give it a shot.

In fact, I’ve come to believe in studying God‘s word that thankfulness is actually one of the signs of spiritual maturity that let you know you’re making progress. The Apostle Paul was one of those who was thankful no matter the circumstances. Let his words be our guide this holiday season:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Let me start a shopping list for you, not one for you to run to the store and pick up, but one you can assemble right at home in your prayer closet.

If were truly going to be thankful we will need a big cup of self awareness: so many times we are not grateful because we haven’t taken stock of how blessed we are. A few minutes praying through, writing down, or speaking out loud the good things that we have and have experienced will sometimes put it in perspective.

I would also grab a couple of cans of expectations. Things may not be exactly the way you want them in the moment, but when you follow the God that I know you’ll soon discovered that you’re being set up… for the next move, for breakthrough, for hope, for blessing. Praying in expectation that God has heard, does love, and will answer… Now that will add Some thankfulness to your holiday.

Also, pick up a big bag of get over yourself. Yeah, maybe not the tone you expect from a holiday article, but come on… you know we need a heaping helping of that. It’s hard to be thankful when we haven’t looked around, and seen the needs of others and not just how blessed we are in comparison, but the joy of seeing how we might be used by God to help in their life.

Looking outward not only get your eyes off of the things that you think are inadequate or troublesome in your own life, but it gives you the opportunity to make a difference in someone else’s. I can tell you, one of the best ways to become thankful is to live in a way that makes others thankful.

Sure, there are a few more things that may round out your thankfulness meal, but this is a good starting point.

Let me encourage you as a CrossPointer to remember how blessed we are, let that fill your heart, and take a step or two to share that reason for thankfulness with someone else this holiday season.

Happy Thanksgiving… I’m thankful for you, I’m thankful for our blessings, and I’m thankful for our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Seeking more of Him and less of me,

Pastor Andy Addis

John 3:30

Thankful for the complaints

Happy Thanksgiving.

For most of us, plans are in full swing and expectations are high. Finishing a shortened work/school week leading into a day of over indulgence (fancy talk for pigging out) followed by even more decadence (another fancy word for waste) as we shop till we drop, we see why it’s the most wonderful time of the year!

At least, it better be, since we will be paying for it on the treadmill and out of the checkbook for months.

Still, Happy Thanksgiving!

If I asked most people what Thanksgiving was about, we’d get the standard three “F”s:
* Family
* Food
* Football

Then, once we got past all that honesty we’d remember that somewhere between the trip to Grandmas and the tryptophan coma, we’re supposed to be thankful for something, right?

So, what are we thankful for on Continue reading “Thankful for the complaints”

No Lukewarm Turkey, Please

Normally, I do not blog more than once a week, but in my personal devotional time today the Lord gave me a pre-Thanksgiving message today. Let me stress, this was given to me, which means it was for me. I have no idea if this is anything anyone else needs to hear, but I will publicly process this and if it’s a blessing to anyone else, so be it.

Revelation 3:14 “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s creation. 15 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me. 21 The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ ”

 

 

In the book of Revelation, Jesus spoke directly to seven different church communities, and there was a pattern:

  • He introduced Himself
  • He commends the church
  • He rebukes the church
  • He offers a solution
  • He warns
  • He promises

Oddly, this last church on the list (Laodicea) is missing one of these elements… a commendation.

Ouch.

Apparently, what Jesus has to say to the church at Laodicea has to differ from the way He talked to others because He has nothing good to say about them.

Again, I say, Continue reading “No Lukewarm Turkey, Please”

Putting the “go” in gobble, gobble

Psalm 105

1 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done.

2 Sing to him, sing praise to him;

tell of all his wonderful acts.

3 Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

4 Look to the Lord and his strength;

seek his face always.

What a great time of year!

For most of us, Thanksgiving is the official launch to the holiday season. We are looking forward to a day of doing nothing, watching football and eating more food than should probably be consumed in an entire week

I am right there with you.

I’m just going to have to hope that the other campus pastors who I am competing against in our year-end weight loss competition will be just as frail, and undisciplined as me (I can dream can’t I?)

But on this wonderful holiday called Thanksgiving I wonder if we really are expressing our thankfulness as we should…

Continue reading “Putting the “go” in gobble, gobble”

Thanks for nothin’ ?

As a pastor of a decade and a half now, I have sat through some pretty rough family counseling sessions.

You’d be amazed at the harsh things people can say to each other… or, maybe you wouldn’t be. I guess that’s even sadder.

Some of the barbs that get thrown include:

  • If you cared about me at all…
  • I don’t think I can love you anymore…
  • You’re an idiot…
  • I just wish I was as important to you as your sister is…
  • It’s me or the XBOX (seriously, I’ve heard this one)…
  • I can’t stand to be around you anymore…

Ouch! After a few of those, it’s a little awkward trying to schedule the next meeting. I never know if they are planning on being together in a week, or if I’ll have to visit one of them in the county clink where they now reside for stabbing their mate. Continue reading “Thanks for nothin’ ?”

Thanksgiving as a way of life

Here are a few thoughts on the issue of giving thanks, which, by the way, I am convinced is the mark of Christian maturity the more I read the New Testament.

I filmed this last week while on mission in the Grand Caymans. Props to my buddy Jonathan Curtis who got up real early with me to hold the camera. We had to get up early so that we could find a quite time on the beach and avoid mostly naked people in the background… I’m a thinker, don’t you know.

This video will be one of several used in our weekend services on our campuses over this holiday weekend, so, if you attend just consider it a preview.

Many blessings and may Thanksgiving be more than just Turkey and football to you this year. No matter where you are, you have something to be thankful for… Continue reading “Thanksgiving as a way of life”