Thanksgiving—a holiday that’s really meant to be a lifestyle and ongoing attitude. A holiday that’s getting squeezed out, as merchants and marketers ring in the Christmas shopping tradition the moment the last “Trick or Treat!” has been called out.

One wonders if Thanksgiving still has “a ghost of a chance” of being observed in the midst of all the early-early-Black Friday hype!

It does. Especially if we’ve already begun developing a habit of thanks-living beforehand.

Let’s begin with our relationships—every one—even the ones where it’s harder to see the blessing(s) in them.

Yes, even the ones with “difficult”, hard-to-love people.

“But you haven’t seen my___ (fill in the blank)!”, you may say. True.  But there are ways to be thankful for even them.

Here’s how:

  • It means we’re not isolated. Those “difficult” people may not be the best, but at least we’re not totally alone.

 

  • If it’s a co-worker—it means we have work! We can be thankful we have a job.  We can also be thankful that our co-worker, though not perfect, still helps (or has the potential to help) us.

 

  • If it’s a relative—it means we have family! Not everyone has family. Sure, there may be more quirks than perks in our family, but remember:  1)We have our own quirks; 2)Even the strangest, hardest, relative is someone there to love—and who knows, they may even respond to and change because of our love!

 

  • If it’s an ubiquitous friend that seems to turn up at the most inopportune times, or maybe all the time– it means we’re likable, even lovable! Someone sees something in us worth being around—that’s always encouraging!  We can also thank the Lord for at least one faithful friend. (Prov. 18:24)

 

  • If it’s a spouse— It means we have a mate!— even if our relationship with them has gotten strained and the “flame” has died out. So many people have lost their mates to death or divorce. Others have never known the kind of love only experienced in marriage, or the delight of having been chosen in that special way by another person.

 

Granted, marriage has its own trials.  But being thankful and remembering the reason we got married really goes a long way toward renewing the relationship (more on that in another letter).  (Eccles. 4:9-12)

 

  • If it’s our child—it means we have children! So many couples have empty arms, empty nurseries, and long to have even the sleepless nights we have with babies, toddlers, even teenagers who stay out too late!

 

We can thank the Lord for both the responsibilities and trials of parenting, because it means we have the privilege of reflecting His Father heart and training our own, next-generation, family members in Him. (Ps. 127:3-4)

 

  • If it’s anyone in our life that’s testing our tolerance—it means God is at work in us! He’s stretching us, training us, developing our character, cultivating the Fruit(s) of the Spirit in us—so that we become more like Jesus—which is, after all, our ultimate goal in life (Rom. 8:29; Phil. 1:6, 2:13)

And I’ve just listed the hard stuff.  Think of the easy-to-be-thankful-for stuff in these relationships— such as: Significance; Security; Belonging; Fun; Romance; Mutual-Support and Encouragement; Help; Shared Experiences and Memories; …the list goes on—keep enjoying it all and adding to it!

Start now.  And when we sit down to Thanksgiving Dinner with—family, friend(s), someone who needs a family or friends (homeless, international students, refugees, a lonely person we know)— be and stay thankful that they’re in our lives.

We can be like Paul, who said, “I thank God for you, every time I remember you.” Phil. 1:3.  And I’m sure he didn’t always have easily-fond memories of everyone!

Who are you going to continue thanking the Lord for?  Who are you going to start thanking the Lord for?