Every year, I look forward to November’s main holiday, Thanksgiving. But I really desire to live a life of ThanksGiving to God by ThanksLiving for Him year-round.
Although Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, I enjoy celebrating the time set aside for giving thanks.
Maybe you’re one of those people who already has your home Christmas-ready. That’s awesome for you. I say, To each her own.
Yet, it’s not my cup of tea. Not even holiday spiced tea. For me, I like both feet firmly planted in our thankful holiday before moving on. But the weekend after giving thanks? Then, I’m all about hanging ornaments, positioning blinking lights, and spreading Christmas cheer.
You see, I’m a straight lines kind of girl. So I never like to blur the lines of one holiday and cross over into another one at the same time.
Further, my family knows how much rule-keeping runs through my veins. Perhaps, this plays a role. Regardless of the reason, celebrating holidays distinctly, separately, and in chronological order remains my thing.
ThanksGiving Around the Table
This makes the fourth year to host my immediate family (kids and grandkids) and part of my husband’s family in our home for ThanksGiving. I enjoy everything about it: gathering with loved ones, decorating the table with my little pilgrims and a few pumpkins, and doing a portion of the cooking with my guests bringing dishes to add to our spread.
And the overall menu lands in the top spot as my all-time-favorite meal. A menu of turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, mac & cheese, green beans, sweet potato casserole, homemade rolls, and pies—pumpkin and lemon (my grandmother Clarkston’s recipe).
Yum! I can hardly wait!
ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving
Still, we know the celebration isn’t just about taking our seat at the table to gobble down savory and sweet delicacies. Instead, it’s about ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving.
To encourage our thankfulness along, let’s remind ourselves to give thanks for and to our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many gifts. And He has done great things.
[bctt tweet=”To encourage our thankfulness along, let’s remind ourselves to give thanks ‘for’ and ‘to’ our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many gifts. And He has done great things. #Thanksgiving @FridayKaren” username=”PatHolbrook”]
Then we remind oursleves to give thanks to God through living a life of sincere ThanksGiving by ThanksLiving.
ThanksLiving is ThanksGiving supercharged and supersized.
[bctt tweet=”ThanksLiving is ThanksGiving supercharged and supersized. #Thankful #Thanksgiving @FridayKaren” username=”PatHolbrook”]
But what does this look like? How do we go about it?
Perhaps in part like this acronym.
T-H-A-N-K-S-G-I-V-I-N-G:
Taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)
Honor the Lord with our lips and obey His commandments in our heart. (Isaiah 29:13)
Abide in Jesus as the vine for a fruitful life. (John 15)
Number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)
Keep the faith. (2 Timothy 4:7)
Satisfy our longing soul and hungry soul with good things from God. (Psalm 107:9)
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted. (Isaiah 12:4)
Increase our praise to God, for His steadfast love is better than life. (Psalm 63:3)
Value our life, and every good and perfect gift from the Father of lights. (James 1:17)
Invite others to the foot of Calvary’s cross and an empty tomb, not ashamed of the gospel. (Romans 1:16)
Name God as Lord of our life, living in righteousness for His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3)
Gain godliness with contentment. (1 Timothy 6:6)
Happy ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving!
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[bctt tweet=”LINKUP is open! Join my friend @FridayKaren to discuss giving thanks to God through living a life of sincere ThanksGiving by ThanksLiving. Because God is Lord of our lives. Share your #blog #thanksgiving” username=”PatHolbrook”]
FOR and TO!
I admit that I often fail to list God himself among my many blessings!
Me too, Michele. We often thank the God “for” His blessings, but we forget to thank our heavenly Father “for” Him. God alone is enough reason to give thanks.
I love this post! I also like to give Thanksgiving its full due before Christmas. And I am so thankful for God Himself as well as His many blessings.
Thanks, Barbara. My husband asked if we could go see the Christmas lights in Gatlinburg the other day or if that’s breaking my no Christmas before Thanksgiving rule. 😉
I told him it was fine since it’s not our house, and they were beautiful! I pray to practice more ThanksLiving.
Karen,
You are a girl after my own heart. Yes, to Christmas, but first, Thanksgiving!! Your acronymn is perfect and I think I’m going to read it our Thanksgiving table…Beautiful!
Blessings and enjoy your day of giving thanks,
Bev xx
Awe, that’s so kind and sweet of you, Bev. I really think Thanksgiving gets lost in the shuffle of the holidays. It’s that celebration on the calendar between Halloween and Christmas for more people than we realize…barely even making mention of it and some not celebrating it at all. How sad. Happy ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving!
I love the distant holidays too, Karen. I wish they were a couple of months apart so they didn’t get blended together. Thank you for spelling out Thanksgiving for us with these Scriptures!
Debbie, it would be nice to have more time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Yet, from a spiritual perspective giving thanks for the birth of Jesus does go hand-in-hand. Just don’t mix up the decorations and celebrations for me! 😉
I love the word Thanksliving!!!
Thanks, Lauren. I pray our ThanksGiving this year and all year round proves to be ThanksLiving!
Fabulous Karen! I love this post! Great idea to help focus on all the ways we can give thanks to the Lord! Thank you!!
Thank you, Donna. To encourage our thankfulness along, let’s remind ourselves to give thanks for and to our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many gifts. And He has done great things.
Thanks for this Karen! I love the acrostic! Happy thanksgiving!
Glad this spoke to you, Bethany! Let’s taste and see that the Lord is good. (Psalm 34:8)
I love the scriptures in this acronym. And what a great reminder to live in thanks! Thank you for sharing this message, and for hosting each week!
Glad you enjoyed this, Marielle. I pray this week and every day we taste and see that the Lord is indeed good!