Thanksgiving Thoughts

This week I heard someone speaking to a group of people say something to the effect, "Just in case you didn't know, Thanksgiving isn't all about food."  That struck me a little funny at the time since the first Thanksgiving was literally all about the fact that the Pilgrims finally had food!  I know the point he was making...let's not gorge ourselves all day like mindless fools.  But as I contemplate our Thanksgiving banquet table this year, 2 thoughts keep popping up:

1)  I'm thankful for the food.  This year my family had some financial surprises that threw us for a loop.  For a few months, I was digging in the pantry on more than one occasion to pull out some canned tuna just to make it to pay day.  It wasn't pleasant!  Am I trying to say it was anywhere near what some people experience every day, every week?  No.  But did it teach me to be thankful for canned tuna?  Absolutely!  And when I bought groceries this week to make our Thanksgiving meal, I was particularly mindful that if that financial shock had happened in November, we would be eating tuna for Thanksgiving...and we would be thankful we were eating at all. 

2)  Jesus told a parable of a great supper to symbolize grace.  In Luke 14:15-23 we read that a man had prepared a feast, but everyone he invited had an excuse for not attending.  This man wanted his house full and all his food eaten, so he told his servants to go get the poor, sick, blind, and lame.  This is the invitation made by Christ.  His grace extends to everyone!  Sadly, those who often have their lives "together" don't recognize their need for the feast!  It's only those who admit their own need that cling to Christ's invitation.  So as I gaze on our Thanksgiving meal this year, I will ponder how that abundance of food represents the abundant, mercy-filled life that I live.

Aren't you glad you have been invited to the feast?