Do You Celebrate Thanksgiving or Thanks-Living

I admit I am a “Black Friday Shopper.”

My sister and I get up long before the sun.  We trudge through the masses in search of treasure. We laugh at the idiots who fight over Furbie  (actually saw someone go down once over that one!), and we love it.  I have listened for days on the protest over shopping and Thanksgiving–and for the life of me I just don’t see it.  I don’t even see why it is a point of discussion.

I have read the rebuttals about how it takes “thanks” out of Thanksgiving Day.

Personally, I think that is a wonderful concept.

We take a DAY and say “Thanks God”…  read that again:

                 We take a DAY and say  “Thanks  God”

There are over  70+ verses that talk about a thankful life style.

What happened to Thanksliving?  What happened to daily acknowledging of what God has provided?  What happens on Saturday or Monday?  Why is that supposed to be different than Thursday? I want to grab the “nay sayers” and ask them all, “So, you don’t plan on buying or shopping?” If you are going to be gluttonous, irresponsible, excessive, or over the top, then why does the day you do it  matter?

Are those who scream “excess” on Thursday sitting at the computers on Monday fighting for the Cyberdeals? Most people I know who preach about the evils of Black Friday shopping, still do it.  They just feel better about it on Dec. 1.

Now, we do Thanksgiving like everyone else.  We eat and spend the day with family. We are genuinely reflective and thankful for what we have as a family, but that also happens EVERY other time we eat or come together.  I used to think that we were missing something because our Thanksgiving dinner was just like every other dinner, then I realized the blessing that is.   Being raised in a family of faith whose PRACTICE it is to recognize God and his goodness daily, kinda makes Thanksgiving just a little bigger meal.

I guess, at Thanksgiving we need to remember that one of the beauties of our country is choice. The choice has never been about what day you are to be thankful, but just to be thankful.

I wonder sometimes if the people yelling the loudest about Thanksgiving are the ones who would miss it altogether if it were interrupted on that ONE day.

What do you think about commercialism, shopping and gratitude this time of year? What about all year long?