A Day for Giving Thanks

If I have 1,000 things for which I am thankful, am I necessarily fuller of thanks than if I have 50 things for which I'm thankful?  I think...no. I think that my thankful-fullness is measured by something that is not directly linked to the external things that we connect that gratitude to when we try to define why we are thankful.  

If I've lost you, go have another turkey sandwich and take a nap. Really. It won't hurt my feelings.

I guess what I'm thinking about is that the circumstances for which we often say we are thankful may be WHAT we are thankful for, but they are not WHY we are thankful. 

Of course,  now my mind wanders to Madame Blueberry (one of the Veggie Tales) and Stuff Mart. Considering that I spent a bit of  my day combing newspaper ads, looking f0r great deals on stuff I don't need and didn't even want until I was looking at said ads, this is a rather interesting rabbit trail. In it, Madame Blueberry who has all the stuff she can get her hands on and who loves to shop for more stuff encounters a family that is rather "poor" in a traditional sense of measurement, but extremely rich in reality. 

Annie the Green Onion teaches her (through a song -- these are musical cartoons, after all) that a thankful heart is a happy heart. This young vegetable seems to understand that thankfulness is grounded in a contentment that comes from understanding what is and what is not important. 

I'm trying to pay more attention to that these days. I'm trying to listen more to what God says about me and life and stuff and less attention to what everyone else says. As I do that, my sense of thankfulness and contentment grows. 

And, Black Friday -- if it serves you well and if you enjoy it, then by all means set your alarms and have at it. Me, I'll be nestled all snug in my bed at least until the sun is up.  

THE THANKFULNESS SONG

I thank God for this day,
For the sun in the sky,
For my mom and my dad,
For my piece of apple pie!

For our home on the ground,
For His love that's all around,
That's why I say thanks every day!

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!
I'm glad for what I have,
Thats an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares,
'Cause He listens to my prayers,
That's why I say thanks every day!