I heard an absurd commercial today that said “Thanksgiving is Thanksgetting.” The commercial urged listeners to feed their desires by purchasing whatever they had on their ‘want list’ for Thanksgiving, thus making it Thanksgetting. Think about that for a second, “Thanksgiving is Thanksgetting.”
We could call Thanksgiving, Thanksgetting because we receive some really neat things when we are thankful. We receive happiness and healthiness. It is a proven fact that grateful people are happier people. I have never met a happy ungrateful person, have you? People who are grateful usually laugh more and the Bible is clear, “Laughter is a good medicine.” My wife and I recently visited our good friends Bob and Cheryl. We laughed much as we talked and remembered other great times. As we met we all spoke with words of thankfulness. It was a wholesome and healthy time. I join the Apostle Paul when I say of my friends, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” This visit was a very happy time. Happiness seems to be a memory producer and memories are joy producers.
We not only receive happiness and health but we also receive the ability to appreciate additional ways that God has blessed us. Unfortunately, we naturally seem to notice the uncommon, and obscure. In doing so we fail to notice and be thankful for the common things and routine. Being thankful helps us to be more appreciative of the common, the ordinary, and the routine. It is true, that many people fail to appreciate things until they lose those things. A man or woman who failed to appreciate their spouse finds them in the arms of another and then they regret they failed to show their gratitude or thankfulness and now it is too late. We control our attitude of gratitude so we should thank God for what we have.
There is something we receive by default when we are grateful, we are saved from the results of ingratitude. Ungrateful people are natural complainers. Others do not want to be around ungrateful and complaining people. Usually grateful people are encouragers and not complainers and what a blessing encouragers are to everyone. Complainers and ungrateful people tie an if statement to their own happiness. If I had a new job, if I made more money, if I could meet someone and marry, if I were just not married then I will be happy… The fact that you can control your attitude and you can decide to be grateful is an indication that we control our happiness.
Perhaps a great thing to do is count your blessings and be thankful this thanksgiving day. You should add many close friends and family to your list. Add places you love, opportunities you have had, teachers you appreciated, the promises of God, possessions you cherish, natural things you need, attributes of God, things about your church, things God has saved you from, etc. You will be happier as you reflect on these things and are thankful. Have a great thanksgiving and remember your many blessings.