Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. This Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. They have only two days separating them. Oh, I forgot; the pagan high holy holiday Black Friday comes in between them. So I am torn as to what to write about. Do I write about how thankful I am for God’s many blessings in my life? Do I I reflect on the benefits of the practice of gratitude and thankfulness on a daily basis? Or do I denounce the worldliness of people sucked into the commercialization of Christmas worshipping at the altar of bargains, deals and mega sales? Should I express my outrage that stores are opening on Thanksgiving, another nail into the coffin of family tradition and values? Maybe it’s best to skip these two days and head right into Advent as the Church prepares to begin its calendar with the celebration of the birth of Christ. I already have my village set up and my sermon prepared, the Church is decorated so I am in “the Christmas Spirit.” Then again, why focus on the next few days? I could reflect on the events of the past week, including the mayhem that occurred in Ferguson, Missouri following the “non-indictment” decision of the Grand Jury of Officer Darren Wilson in the Michael Brown shooting. Or the severe snow and ice storms sweeping the nation. Buffalo is still digging out. And whatever came of the Ebola scare?
Granted there is a host of things to think over, write about and reflect on. But when you read this it will be Friday or sometime soon after. You are probably tired from Thanksgiving, out or online getting a fantastic deal (we are cutting our Christmas tree early Friday morning) or switching into Christmas mode. The last thing you want to do, or have time to do, is read another long Reflection. So eat some leftovers, take a nap, bake some cookies, enjoy your family, gather with friends, get ready to go to Church on Sunday. We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, that you will practice being thankful each day and that your Advent Season will be blessed with anticipation and great joy as you prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus.
And thats all I have to say about that!
What do you think?
How does this make you feel?
God’s Blessings,
Steven