As November settles in and we gather around tables laden with food, fun, and family traditions, The holiday break offers us something far more nourishing than any feast: an opportunity to fully express our gratitude for what truly matters. But what if the spirit of this holiday could extend beyond a single Thursday in November?
Thanksgiving: A Holy Pause
Thanksgiving invites us into what the 18th-century French Jesuit priest, Jean-Pierre de Caussade called “the sacrament of the present moment.” In the rush of life—always seeking the next insight, the next breakthrough, the next level of knowledge—we often miss the holiness of now.
The very word holiday points to the sacred. This holiday asks us to stop. To gather. To witness the abundance that surrounds us when we have the courage to truly see. The event of appreciating family is sanctified. The meal becomes a holy communion of fun and fellowship. And our gratitude bubbles out in thankful prayer and love for one another.
But here’s the deeper invitation: Let every moment of life be Thanksgiving! Make giving thanks not an occasional practice but the very foundation of everyday life!
Thanksgiving: A Starting Point
As we gather this Thanksgiving, let’s remember that the holiday is not the destination but the invitation. It’s a reminder that thanksgiving isn’t a special occasion event but rather a daily practice of expressing gratitude throughout our entire lives.
This week, as you pass the mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, consider also passing along the deeper gifts: joy, love, presence, and genuine appreciation. Share not just what you’re thankful for, but why. Be joyfully refreshed by the thankful stories of others. Notice how you are enriched by gratefully acknowledging God’s goodness.
Thanksgiving: Going Forward
When the leftovers are gone and the dishes are washed, the real work begins. Can we carry this spirit of thanksgiving into December’s rush? Into the ordinary Tuesdays of winter? Into moments of stress and uncertainty?
The answer is yes—but it requires intention. Gratitude is the internal appreciation. Thanksgiving is the external expression of our gratitude. Each time we pause to appreciate, we’re expanding our capacity to rejoice in the everyday blessings from God.
This Thanksgiving, celebrate not just the abundance on your table but the abundant blessings all around you. And commit to daily thankfulness, creating a life rich not in things but in gratitude for all that life brings.
After all, the grateful heart is not one that has everything, but one that thankfully cherishes everything it has.
What are you grateful for today? Reflect on how your giving thanks can be a constant practice throughout the year rather than a mere holiday.
“I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Christ Jesus” [1Cor. 1:4 KJV].