This Thanksgiving, more than ever, we should be thankful for family
This Thanksgiving is shaping up to be one that will be beyond belief for many and unlike any other in history. In the last two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving 2020, governors have declared draconian orders, implemented curfews, called for mandatory 14-day quarantines for people traveling to certain states, and the prohibition of all social gatherings with people not from the same household — even with as few as two people, even if it is done outside, even if proper social distancing is practiced, and even if everyone is wearing a face mask. For those who dare to defy these domineering directives face punitive penalties, including fines of up to $1,000 or 90 days in prison.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidelines on how you should hold your holiday celebrations. The CDC recommends that you treat your Thanksgiving with your loving family like it was a work Zoom call, and that the feast be held virtually.
The health agency advises people to "limit the number of attendees as much as possible to allow people from different households to remain at least 6 feet apart at all times." "Sorry Aunt Edna, you're the 11th guest at Thanksgiving, and we can't socially distance properly past 10 people, so it looks like you'll have to hit the road – you can come back at around 9 p.m. for a curbside pickup of your leftovers; do you like dark or white turkey meat?"
The CDC states: "Encourage guests to avoid singing or shouting, especially indoors. Keep music levels down so people don't have to shout or speak loudly to be heard." Good luck telling Uncle Mike not to shout once he pours a Maker's Mark and starts ranting as to why the Dallas Cowboys only have three wins this season.
Speaking of alcohol, the CDC wants you to lay off the booze during Thanksgiving, which for some people is the time they need a shot of liquid coping the most.
What started out as "15 days to slow the spread," has quickly morphed into 255 days of lockdowns, which has had a devastating effect on people's mental well-being. Doctors believe that the prolonged isolation during the coronavirus pandemic has plunged many senior citizens into despair.
Now, more than ever, we need to be thankful for our families. People are craving real interactions, not only through digital screens. People yearn for their loved ones during a time of rising depression and addiction.
People desperately thirst for something normal, not whatever officials tell you is "the new normal." Thanksgiving with the people you unconditionally love, a time-honored tradition your family engages in every November, will fill your soul with a warmth that has been missing for months.
Hearing Grandpa tell the same story he has told 177 times about how he almost made it to the major leagues as a pitcher, but he blew out his arm in college is suddenly strangely soothing this year.
Mashing potatoes for your Aunt Patricia as she complains about her rheumatoid arthritis is no longer a chore, it is a welcomed privilege because you truly understand that we must treasure these precious moments that disappear in the blink of an eye, and future blessed family celebrations are absolutely not guaranteed.
Getting real in-person updates, not Facebook updates, straight from your cousin's mouth on how her 4-month-old twins are growing so fast as the adorably chubby babies coyly coo in their seats will instantly heal your God-loving essence.
In a time of so much uncertainty, nothing is so reassuring and comforting than connecting with your family — the people you share a blood bond, a heart bond, and the bond of traditions, such as Thanksgiving.
Thank you, almighty God, for your blessings this Thanksgiving
This year, Thanksgiving Day falls on Thursday the 26th of November, marking 231 years to the exact date of the first Thanksgiving Day proclaimed by President George Washington. Forgive the cliche of quoting from Washington's proclamation, but the simple fact is Washington issued a near-perfect statement of how Americans ought to think about the Thanksgiving holiday, and it's worth honoring by remembrance.
A mere three paragraphs, Washington's proclamation begins with an acknowledgement, the proclamation itself follows, and the president concludes with a request for the American people.
First, Washington acknowledges it is "the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor." These days, Americans are very fond of demanding that government protect our various and innumerable rights. Undoubtedly, the purpose of just government is to secure the rights and liberties of its citizens. But a system of self-government such as we have will fail and will be unjust if the people, who are sovereign, do not recognize their duties. We each have a duty to our neighbors to respect their rights. We have a duty to follow just laws. To be good citizens. To be kind to one another, to serve each other, to help those in need, and for Washington, to be thankful for God's provisions and to pray for his protection and favor.
In recognition of this duty, Washington proclaims "Thursday the 26th day of November next" to be a day for "the People of these States" to devote to God. Americans are to thank Him, "the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be" for "his kind care and protection," for his mercy during the Revolutionary War, for the "tranquillity, union, and plenty" which followed, for "the peaceable and rational manner" in which the new American government was established, and "for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed," the "means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge," and also for "all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us."
These blessings here recounted are permanent things. Americans continue to enjoy the goodness God has shown to our forefathers, which speaks of God's eternal nature. The sovereign King of Heaven, in His boundless mercy, saw fit to permit a rag-tag assembly of English colonists to overthrow the most powerful empire on earth and raised up wise political leaders to frame a Constitution that's lasted for 233 years — a Constitution that to this day protects your rights and liberties and enables you to read this article in the safety of your own home, surrounded by family and friends and delicious food that, Lord willing, will last for several days.
And for those less fortunate, who may lack family or friends and food, did God not provide a country with many who can share with their countrymen? It is a great sin and transgression indeed for those of us who can share to neglect our duties to those who lack.
Yet sin is a reality we all must confront. People treat each other wickedly. We are unkind in our words. We are hateful and murderous in our thoughts. We are greedy, selfish, and self-serving, neglectful and thoughtless of those in need. We are proud and boastful, yet who can truly say they've always done right and never harmed another by word or deed? We lie to each other. We only love those who love us first, and even then we love poorly. We are unforgiving. And we're too often ungrateful.
This is why, in the third paragraph, Washington requests that the American people "unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions."
The greatest blessing freely offered by God to man is pardon for our sins. God offers forgiveness for all the wrongs we've done to Him and to each other to those who repent. Once free of our individual and national sins, He enables us "whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed."
So giving thanks to God doesn't simply involve thankful prayer, though that is important and necessary! It also involves obedience to His will, which is "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" and "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." We must repent of our sins toward one another and pray for forgiveness. We must love each other by performing our duties as citizens, which is to act righteously, to obey just laws, to respect each other, to help and support each other, both publicly and privately.
As Thanksgiving Day 2020 approaches, I cannot help but think of the hostility too many Americans feel towards one another after a contentious and divisive presidential election. I know this as truth: The anger, frustration, and anxieties felt by Americans on both the left and the right are the consequences of sin. No one is blameless. We have all sinned. If we loved each other as we ought, if we performed our duties as citizens to each other as we ought, would any right-thinking person be outraged or anxious about the White House changing parties for four short years?
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for a God who loves us and offers forgiveness for our sins. I am thankful for a God who listens to and answers prayer. I'm thankful that God rules in heaven, that all authority on earth is on loan from Him, and that He will enact justice when we will not, no matter who occupies the presidency. I am thankful for a God who taught us, when we pray, to ask for our "daily bread," reminding us that we are to rely on Him for His provisions each day and that we ought not to worry about tomorrow. I am thankful for a country and a Constitution that protect my right to worship this God. And it's my intention and earnest prayer that in showing my gratitude, I fulfill my duty as an American citizen and a patriot to love my neighbors, as God commands.
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." — Philippians 4:6-7
On this Thanksgiving, I count seven lifelong friends as among my biggest blessings
You know how things go. High school ends. Many friendships drift into oblivion. If you're fortunate enough to go to college, once graduation hits, again the lion's share of folks you spent a lot of time with go on to new lives — often far away — and the months turn into years, and then friendships dry up.
I certainly experienced that in my life — but I'm one blessed fellow since I still count a handful of special people as close friends. But they're more like family. Allow me to introduce them to you.
First there's Steve. I met him at the bus stop on my first day of eighth grade. We lived down the street from each other in a Philadelphia suburb and soon bonded over our love of sports. Considering where we lived, his love for the Dallas Cowboys is a flaw of his I've been forced to live with — yet it's led to hilarious jesting between us over the years. Much more important, though, is that Steve introduced me to Jesus. As our friendship grew during high school, I cannot remember a Sunday evening when he didn't call me on the phone and invite me to his church's youth group. I was never interested. But something struck me during one of our long talks one night when we were seniors. I criticized the Christian faith as a smothering existence that frowned upon fun, and I wasn't interested in that kind of life. But Steve stood up for the faith in the most authentic way I'd heard to that point: "You know, Dave, that's something I hear a lot, but I love the Christian life. It's a great life." We continued our talk, but I couldn't shake Steve's statement — and soon I sensed God bugging me each night as I drifted off to sleep. Then one day I decided I was ready. Steve, as usual, called me Sunday evening for his weekly rejection — but instead I said, "Yes, I want to go to youth group," which I'm sure floored my faithful friend. I invited Christ into my life that night, and my life was forever altered. Steve and I have maintained our friendship through the years and still get together to share hoagies, family news, and prayer concerns. No subject is off limits. Deep is always good. Steve's faithfulness to God helped spur me on to my own faith — and that our friendship has endured is a precious gift to me. I'm forever thankful for him.
Then there's Jeff. I met him in college, where he played a crucial role as a mentor and guide, helping me make sense of my new faith and supporting me through some rough emotional patches. He's also a stellar piano player and a huge fan of the band Yes, both of which helped deepen our bond as we talked music while I banged away on my new acoustic guitar freshman year. He encouraged me, shared many new insights with me, and challenged me. One seemingly mundane — but in reality deeply important — moment still stands out to this day. My girlfriend and I had just broken up toward the end of my senior year, and I was quite despondent — all the while in the midst of interviewing for a residence hall director position that would begin in the fall. I didn't want to go to the interview. But Jeff actually got me through tying my tie and encouraged me to step into the day in faith despite my sadness. And I did — but almost didn't! It's wild to think of how different my life might have turned out if he wasn't there for me in that moment. Most of all, though, is that Jeff taught me in real life, and in real time, what sticking together as friends means. He taught me it's OK to argue, to battle things out, and that Christians forgive each other and press on after the dust settles. His presence in all those respects continues to this very day, through thick and thin, and I'm deeply thankful for him.
Along with Jeff I also became friends with Rich, John, and Ralph in college. The interactions between us individually were frequent and meaningful through my first three years at school — particularly with respect to my growth as a Christian. But with the five of us as a group, it all got taken up a notch my senior year when we shared a house together off campus. You get to know each other a lot better under the same roof! We had a lot of fun, a lot of laughs — but there were arguments, too, and some tears in sad moments. That's what living among one another brings, and it showed me what true Christian community can be. But here's where things get even more interesting. Once our time living under the same roof was over and we went on to different pursuits, our friendships remained. We wrote, we called, we visited as the years went by; those of us who could swing it met up annually between Christmas and the New Year. And then we created a Facebook group for ourselves to let us communicate — often daily — about the goings on and challenges and blessings in our lives. It's not the same as living in the same house like we did in college, but it's a blessing nonetheless knowing I can count on lifelong friends like Jeff, Rich, John, and Ralph to pray for me and care for me. They've all been there for me in good times and bad, and I'm thankful for all of them.
There's also Brent and Lou. Brent I met during graduate school when we were residence hall directors — we bonded first over our love for the comic strip "Bloom County," and then our friendship deepened over discussions about our shared faith in Christ, culture, comedy, politics, music, and our lives in general. To this day all we need to do is utter a phrase, and we'll both practically fall over in laughter. Lou I met my first day as a freelance writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer at the paper's Cherry Hill bureau. I noticed a bumper sticker at his desk for a local band I'd heard of for years on radio commercials. "Are you a fan of the Chasers?" I asked him. Lou replied, "I'm IN the Chasers!" Our shared love of music — turns our we were both guitar players in rock bands — along with our shared professional pursuits made us instant friends. Later our discussions turned to matters of faith, and a few years later Lou joined me on the path walking with Christ. And even though the miles separate us, Lou and Brent have stayed friends with me as our lives took their inevitable twists and turns. I am thankful for them both.
Growing up I didn't have brothers — but God gifted me instead with seven men I consider family. And on this Thanksgiving, I'm thankful for all of them and and for blessings they've brought to my life.
'Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light': 10 things in 2020 for which I'm most thankful
There's no doubt about it: 2020 has, hands down, probably been the hardest, most trying year for a likely majority of people around the world. Have there been worse years? Well, probably, sure — but the number doubtless pales in comparison to the worldwide suffering that's taken place over the last eight or nine months.
As a wise literary character once said, however, "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light."
Now more than ever, it's important — especially in the most dire of times — to search for perspective and peace amid the chaos.
HD Dumbledore's "Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times.." clipwww.youtube.com
Here are 10 things in 2020 for which I'm most thankful:
- Rest and relaxation. While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken much from us, it has also given us the opportunity to slow down, take a breath, and enter a place of quietude from which we can focus on things that really matter or help rediscover things that matter most.
- Insight on those in my inner circle. It's a hard lesson to learn sometimes, but sometimes those who we believe are closest to us fall by the wayside in times of trouble. This was that time of trouble, and it was also that hard lesson. But like anything else, we learn, and we move on.
- A forced perspective on the present. Many of us — myself included — often take minutes, hours, days, or even years for granted while we look ahead saying, "Better days are sure to come." While better days are always sure to come one way or another, living amid this pandemic makes you realize that those days are uncertain, and living in the now is one of the greatest gifts of all.
- Health and security at home. I've been fortunate enough to be able to work from home and exercise the option to homeschool my children during the pandemic. While they sometimes get antsy and yearn for a return to normalcy, they are healthy and thriving, and I am, too.
- The daily reminder to take nothing for granted. When there's nothing but anarchy and turmoil surrounding many of the big things in our lives, we can begin to savor and appreciate small things: a quiet walk in the woods, a hot cup of tea, or how warm your dog's ears are as you pet them.
- Human kindness and patience really matter. In a time where many people are stretched to their limits, grace, understanding, and patience are perhaps the most valuable currency.
- Shying away from disposable commodities. While at home, many of us have learned new skills or refined necessary ones such as cooking, sewing, being responsible for creating our own arts and entertainment, and more. When the pandemic does come to a conclusion, we'll emerge stronger, more resilient, and better equipped to face the next era than we ever were before. That means being more self-reliant and avoiding a disposable, single-use way of life.
- A vast appreciation for teachers, medical professionals, and first responders. While many of us were able to hunker down, carefully plan out our grocery deliveries, and wait this thing out, many "regular" men and women stepped forward to the front lines to protect us. As we as a culture often idolize celebrities, entertainers, sports figures, and politicians, it was a welcome reality check for many to see who the "essential workers" really are — and they're not the ones some might think. Teachers, medical professionals, and first responders are the real heroes in all of this.
- God's perfect plan and timing. While it may seem that things are crumbling around us on a daily basis, God's providence will never fail, and so long as we remain rooted in His word and His promises, nothing is ever really an ending.
- This video. Above all else, let us come together and really laugh at each other — and ourselves. Let's stop taking many things so personally and so seriously. Happy Thanksgiving.
cat vibing to street drummer (remix) ft. Donald Trump and Joe Bidenwww.youtube.com
There is much to be thankful for — but I don’t want to talk about it
You know those people on social media who come across as so braggadocious? I'm sure many don't mean to be, and I've probably been guilty of it myself. But that's what I want to avoid as I sit down to write about what I'm thankful for in 2020.
When COVID-19 hit the U.S. earlier this year, I got down. Really, really down. Not for myself — my life didn't change much due to the pandemic. But I could not turn away from the countless stories of loved ones lost forever, businesses closed for good, and people lined up for miles needing food pantry bundles for the first time in their lives.
I tried to focus on what I was thankful for in order to get a grip. I thanked God for my loved ones, being employed, having groceries and a warm place to live. But I don't want to write about that. Because too many are missing those things right now. They don't need to hear it.
I also tried to look for any piece of silver lining that I could find in the devastation. While many pointed to the huge profits Amazon, Walmart, and other online retailers saw amid lockdown conditions, I was quietly grateful that some companies had the infrastructure for enormous delivery services in the first place. But that's little consolation with brick and mortar stores being shuttered. The trade-off isn't fair.
Already struggling local establishments in my town were hit with further crackdowns from the local health department recently. On Facebook, I saw video of a married couple I know insisting their business was in compliance and pleading with officials to not shut down their only source of income for feeding their family after the police were called over an alleged violation of social distancing in their bar. The couple's other restaurant had closed months before due to slow business.
The footage brought me to tears. I felt helpless and furious watching it, not thankful that I wasn't in their shoes.
When I think of that couple and the countless others who lost part or all of their livelihoods this year, I don't want to talk about what I'm grateful for. I'd like to offer hope, but as lockdowns drag on and ramp up, it's tough to point to what I have when I see what others have had stripped away ahead of what is likely the most difficult holiday season in their lives.
Please support local businesses and give more to people in need this year, if you are able. Those hurt most by this pandemic need actions more than words.
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Stu’s Thanksgiving 2020 Survival Guide | Stu Does America