Thanksgiving, a reflection

This post is written with thanks to all revgals ( and guys) , with prayers that wherever you are and whatever you are doing today that you will know God's love surrounding you, filling you and strengthening you.


Who does not thank for little will not thank for much. - Estonian proverb

Thanksgiving, or more to the point celebrating thanksgiving as a holiday meant little to me until as recently as 1997. The nearest we get to celebrating Thanksgiving in the UK is Harvest festival, and although there are many similarities it lacks the edge of celebration born out of the raw thankfulness for survival that is still contained within the tradition ( if not the actualities) of Thanksgiving as celebrated in the US, and Canada.


Whilst living in Katy, Texas, we were privileged to be included by kind friends into three very different Thanksgiving celebrations. The one common denominator was the turkey!


Celebration one (1997) was with a large cosmopolitan family, with family members from Australia, Greece and Europe present, we simply became a part of the mix. For a good number of folk present Thanksgiving was not a tradition from childhood, and memories of this day will always be clear not only because of the family fun and games, but also for the generosity shared, and the awareness of the need to be thankful for the many, many blessings we enjoy. It strikes me that being able to celebrate in this way should challenge us to fresh acts of compassion and generosity.


Celebration two (1998) was smaller, we were invited by a family from the Church we attended to share Thanksgiving with them. This time we were included in the preparations, I baked pies, others brought salads. We were the only "strangers" present, but were welcomed and simply joined in the family fun. Once again generosity was evident, this family had a severely handicapped daughter, they could have declared that all the preparation was too much and spent the day quite differently, but instead they chose to share, and I hope they were blessed by it.


Celebration three (1999) was very different, we were involved in a cookout in a City Park, bordering a deprived neighbourhood. I think that around 8 turkeys were cooked ( deep fried) , lots of salads were brought, and baked potatoes appeared from all over it seemed, as did pies and other deserts. Invitations had been sent out to the whole neighbourhood, and while people gathered, other meals were taken to the very elderly and infirm, along with gifts of tinned food and blankets. There was a band playing, I was involved in organising activities for the younger children, while others played basketball with the older ones. It was an exhausting and wonderful day, everyone ate well, the children all had candy and fruit to take home. We had gone to share, and I hope that we managed without being condescending, I still have a picture drawn by one of the girls who came, a bunch of colourful flowers to say thank you. I sense it should be me giving thanks, for her openness, and joy and love touched me that day in a way I will not forget.

So I am thankful for my experiences of Thanksgiving, they do not hold family remembrances, but they do remind me to try to be generous and open, and with God's help I will try.

"O God, when I have food,
help me to remember the hungry;
When I have work,
help me to remember the jobless;
When I have a home,
help me to remember those who have no home at all;
When I am without pain,
help me to remember those who suffer,
And remembering,
help me to destroy my complacency;
bestir my compassion,
and be concerned enough to help;
By word and deed,
those who cry out for what we take for granted.
Amen." (Samuel F Pugh)