I was looking for Thanksgiving greeting cards the other day when I made the oddest discovery. After going through every Thanksgiving card in two stores, I was surprised that not one—including the "religious" cards—said a thing about giving thanks to another person. Not one.
There were plenty about sending "best wishes" and "warm thoughts" to the recipient of the card, which in fairness isn't so bad as we enter a season that annually sees high rates of depression and suicide. A few hoped for good celebrations, wished for a "generous spirit," and occasionally admitted to "thinking of you" in this season. Every now and then one would say that the sender is thankful for the recipient. But not a single one simply said "thank you."
I don't really blame Hallmark or other greeting card companies—they're businesses, after all, and are probably simply responding to what people will pay for. But if greeting cards are a reflection of America's sentiments during Thanksgiving, what do they say about you and me?
There's an emphasis on the celebration, on the food (who doesn't call it Turkey Day?), on the good feelings and good times. But apart from the prayer before the meal, how often do we truly reflect on our own reasons for giving thanks? For myself, the answer, to my shame, is not often enough.
For Christians, giving thanks is not only a mandate, but a daily way of life:
Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
I The. 5:16-18
Ephesians 5:20 adds the following:
always giving thanks to God the Father for everything
"All circumstances" doesn't grant exceptions for when life is rough. "Always" doesn't grant exceptions for when I don't feel like it. "For everything" doesn't grant exceptions for things that I didn't want to happen. It's humbling to see how far I fall short.
Thanksgiving, though, gives me the opportunity to get back on the right path. So here are just a few of the "thank you's" I have to give.
- First and foremost, to God the Father for loving me while I was still His enemy, for making a way for me to be with Him forever, and for his provision to me, both spiritually and materially; and especially for the tremendous work He's done in my life over the past year
- To Christ, for willfully taking my place on the cross, and whose love will not let me go
- To the Holy Spirit, for remaining faithful in His sanctifying work until I am made like Christ
- To all the people at Grace Valley who have been faithful in their desire to see me grow in my faith
- To my mother, for her faithfulness and love
- To my brother, who's managed to put up with me for twenty-one years :P
- To my friends in Grace Alive, for Christian fellowship and encouragement
- To all my friends and acquaintances, for laughing at my really bad jokes :P
Are you thankful for something? Leave a comment and let me know.
I remember first seeing First Knight, Jerry Zucker's take on the Arthurian legend, on one of the plane flights that brought me back to the US in 1996. My memory of it was fairly positive, and through 
The script bludgeons this film into bargain bin oblivion. Sometimes the dialogue literally had me wincing. There's very little subtlety and nuance, and this comes out in forgettable performances from Gere and Ormond. The script actually introduces some interesting theological elements, with Arthur and Malagant representing the opposing viewpoints, but it then proceeds to botch it with stilted dialogue that reads like an introductory philosophy text. The love triangle, central to the entire film, is a sloppily contrived quagmire. You can't help but feel bad for Sean Connery, who, along with Ben Cross, manages to pull a decent performance out of this mess.
