Giving thanks? or Thankful giving?

This is a post that I posted either last year or the year before..It still makes me think. I hope that it will make you think during this time of year as well. Enjoy.

I Love this time of year. Thanksgiving starts my favorite season. I love the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This was always a special time when I was growing up. Anticipating going to my grandmas house all the Aunts and Uncles, cousin everywhere, the food...Oh the food. We always had great music and great fun. And then Christmas was on the way. Christmas was an interesting time when I was a child.

You see my Mothers family was church of Christ (the ones that knew for some reason that Jesus was NOT born on December 25Th) my Dads family was split between Baptist and Assembly of God. So Christmas went like this, c of C (church of Christ) family talked about Santa, Baptist family talked about the birth if Jesus, and my Assembly of God family was just excited to be there. Oh, did I mention I went to a Catholic High school? But no matter what we were happy to be together. We were "thankful". That's what Thanksgiving is all about right? Let me challenge your perspective for a moment.

What if Thanksgiving was not as much about us giving "thanks" for what we had but was a time for us to be "thankful" that God has given us the ability to Give!? I have been struck as of late at the fact that if we will truly open up and be available to God that he will give us opportunities beyond our imagination to be a giving people. Gods heart is all about giving. He gave us the world, the emotions to express our selves, family, and most importantly his Son. God is all about giving.
We are called to be in His likeness...that means giving. Giving of our money, time, relationships, experiences...everything. God does not withhold any good thing, and neither should His children. Lets be thankful for the opportunity to Give.

So as you share time with family and loved ones, be thankful for what you have been given, yes. But I challenge you to be thankful for the ability to Give.

Peace.