Why Celebrate Thanksgiving; click here to listen

Jesus masculine money losing hand. Why feels more like a losing battle when something done here, request no God with us today getting addition, the post-Thanksgiving Eve Eve Eve to see my a few minutes ago that we were the last picture just seems like a blink of the eye and holding it really is a larger scheme of things.

I wasn't really even a holiday.

That's the question right so what was your Thanksgiving like right when it wasn't really on with thankfulness, but we hopefully have a good Thanksgiving this year there's nothing, nothing like being with your family and stuffing yourself it's it's very biblical in my work to get to that little bit later and then for for some it may just be a very joyous time for others it may be a very painful time may be both or it could be a time that you just forget all that you go shopping because as there is a lot of shopping that goes on. Unfortunately these days. On Thanksgiving back when you're young guy and you have because it wound up robbing the store was a cracking, especially when you went out about the flight back to. I never get to with the horse and buggy got to the store wasn't open. Now, but let's see if this sounds like your Thanksgiving. Let's come back and talk about a little bit season. There's one has to have getting his child's dream is finding it his father's nightmare will will is is is that sounded like your Thanksgiving may be were just a little off now without talking shopping bag were my carbon clip since Austin. I remember two things from when I was younger.

Sam the first was I don't remember seeing Christmas ads on TV until at least the week of Thanksgiving and probably afterward and now it's like the day before Halloween that they start coming out and the other thing was, is, as a kid is how long this time.

Seen in between each holiday and you had those little sectors.

We were following and then went to Thanksgiving and that seem like this forever never Thanksgiving for Christmas for young person was in eternity but somewhere along the line we kinda lost that one in the middle. Is that what you think that is rubbing your vascular question.

Why do you think would benefit from us, not really celebrating Thanksgiving that would be the enemy that would much prefer that we made it all about ourselves. We made it about the money we made about the gifts and not about the one who provided it again.

I'm probably speaking differently than anyone else sitting around the room today, which have robbing Dennis Vinnie and Al and I that my family and I were Black Friday shoppers were not said were we.

We refuse to go this year. The traditional way we going to set you wait wait wait for hours for the start open and you rush in and get some stuff and you'll even whenever we were out the story short period of time.

We have lots of fun as a family we refuse to go this year because they moved all the times up to the middle Thanksgiving day or early evening and were not willing to get rid of our Thanksgiving that it was okay when I was midnight. It was okay when it's five in the morning. We loved it was five in the morning actually celebrate time with some of her older kids just that after together freezing, laughing and playing cards that this year it's like no I'm not willing to give that up.

And I think that's part of the enemy's plan is to rob us of Thanksgiving how it's it's a sad thing because that time with your family is the precious part of Thanksgiving and so if you turn that into the tradition of black Friday. That in itself was precious. On one of the things I'm really looking forward to myself for Thanksgiving this year is that my kids of gotten older. They're going to come home for Thanksgiving and I get to have that time back and then that's precious William. We celebrated Thanksgiving every year we did the traditional the turkey would we do that every year it again this year we have a big spread. But then we would you bundle up and go out and get in line. You know your gear even more cold when your belly is full and it's really cold outside, you would stand out there and again we have a lot of fun so not saying that shopping is bad but the point is are you are you stopping to remember some of what today is really about.

It is about having the kids come home for some people and spending time with them more are going to see family that you haven't seen in a while how you and your family did something special Thanksgiving.

That's right, we went to see my dad. They drove down from Ohio. My brother came up from his sippy and we all got together had to go back Thanksgiving day to get my son because he had to work the midnight shift at Wednesday night, but man just being together weren't were at a point now where were all functional and happy and having fun and enjoy each other when the enemy robs us of precious days back and there's not a lot of days I remember in my childhood that I remember lots of Thanksgiving. Remember exactly where were almost every year. Remember the food we had my grandmas I can tell you exactly the food was used to house and those traditionally but for me those memory points are just precious and not her family wasn't dysfunctional.

We did a show a few weeks back that every family is a Springer family and spent time with family. This this last week. You kinda know that can be true right but still it's it's precious memories and in the enemies after that and so much more from you talked a little bit about biblically is her precedent for feasting back out was huge on face and he had them all lined out that this is what how you did Passover and that that all these people are supposed to be here and you're supposed to celebrate it this way the face awakes the feast of trumpets and all these things were bringing together everyone in the community and with the idea of praising God, but also I think of the 23rd Psalm where he said. David said you know the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want and so these feasts were literally fill yourself in his cup would run over you know those kind of things are like your absolutely knowing that God is can provide every need you to be totally full and this is going to be awesome.

It's good to be awesome because it's like a picture of heaven is like a picture of what it's going to be in the wedding supper, but he not only robs it from the standpoint of working to go shopping or to do whatever but even in the attacks within our family, that the dysfunction that went in there because you have this picture how Thanksgiving was to be this and this and this and I was finally getting it to be with this person again and then Satan got in there and through a bargain at all.

Wound in the next thing you know it was a disappointment. It was bitter and rather than the thanks that you were hoping to give to God for the community of our family. It went more like a Thanksgiving vacation if they desire for an enemy wants to come round anyway. And because again if he can get you to turn on each other you to focus on him Dennis or some element of these holidays, it can make you kinda turn on yourself visitor that you can kinda take yourself and take yourself out of the that the equation of of saying okay I want to walk here were some people because you talked about having your best times were not necessarily with family going out and spending time with others. The other was a time in our families lives back.

Probably 30 or so years ago. Everyone started to kinda split up and we all live together and all the sudden we were that O'Carroll King song, you're so far away. Does anyone get together anymore and I can recall actually remember sitting down one time and going down through every year I was someplace different for for Thanksgiving.

Some of the ones I remember the most are the ones we actually turn that around and reached out to someone. I went out to a addiction recovery place here in our area one. Thanksgiving had met some guys out there that were staying went out to see them when I was in the Jaycees we should take Thanksgiving meals out to families in our area used to go down to this to Samaritan ministries and help out there and it's amazing when you when you reach out to other people in your closet law may be feeling all lonely because I'm not can be getting together with all my family spokesman the same place.

In a lot of cases even in a worse place because they'll have anyone actually know and thank you answer that much, much better than I asked what I was listening.

As you know you can take that time when you are in periods of being alone and you can look at that and so just want to stay here in my Michelle and not do anything or can step out and still be in community with others in the midst of Ralph ask about your childhood know Thanksgiving is her service and good Thanksgiving memories back when your child how you know we would. It was just my mama sister and I we would get together and make the Thanksgiving together so we were constantly cocaine and tasted and even then they would sit down for Thanksgiving and we would be so full we would have to we would just get small sports on the plate. We were.my mom said you know what we spent six hours cooking. We spent 15 minutes eat them like you Was a good six hours yeah and and you eat that food pretty much the next two or three days, which is really two or three days weeks now we have a rare opportunity here to actually talk to a man who was at the Macy's parade before they had blown out with John Smith about God is the first but actually he was a means seriously what you you you are there in New York City and you got to see the parade and in the first ever was it Snoopy I remembered so long ago. I love your introductions on. I was there for a lot of things in the Thanksgiving parade was big, big thing, and as a kid we used to love it.

Just running up and down Broadway with all but good part of it was that we went home and we weld with family and as a kid.

They treated the kids. So so good that that you know I mean the next day it's a matter you got your whack that day and that I want to make us happy Davis only wants attention so I was thinking more about Thanksgiving and what really that should be looking like in our lives to God with thanksgiving at this time I would be more than just eating her shopping use of the masculine dirty more information on the radio.org past podcast there ask this question, I can make people think we can make small young volunteer making a difference, apply for the true spirit of community will calls us to action effects up to 40%, 2% of sickle cell one every 200 also help to be part of the solution to find out about.org empowered. I hope yeah the often cynical, but in this case actually giving thanks. It sounds like Don Henley of the Eagles song that was on one of his albums. I'm still on hold. I called out right but it was on a CD called inside job.

It was, not really known very well be such a powerful song where he gets it he really sings about all these things in life.

Even the challenges I need to be thankful for because that they change me that help me be better NCOs were talking about this topic a Thanksgiving and maybe went shopping. Maybe you didn't maybe that's okay in your eyes. Maybe it's not were not generally broach that subject to say hopefully had a good one.

Did you take time this year to be thankful and little bit before the break about growing up and I grew up in a family I think was pretty thankful but honest I don't remember ever praying around my grandma's table.

I don't I don't remember ever that activity.

Maybe I was too young, but I don't remember us doing that piece of it in the community and that the fun with the family was awesome but some system listeners and if you don't take time to say okay God thanks for what you done this year and even a bad thing yet. You know, I just got an idea for something to there is a blog post right now for the journey with music and I took a look at this song from a biblical perspective on in their places for comments for that. Maybe this would be a cool place to kinda go in after Thanksgiving and say what you are grateful for what blessings came your way this year and share those with this because we love to hear from you Don Henley.

Be thankful for stuff I'm just getting is very cynical guy. Sometimes what it is.

It is a great song in support when asking what you truly thankful for you, are you thankful for some the challenges ahead this year rather than I'm sure there's been some challenges this year for you but was has God showed up in ways for you through those absolutely and without those challenges. Those are the without a test, I would have a testimony kind of thing and so is there were some large tests this year but there were some large understandings that came as a result of those tests that give me freedom to be who God meant to be and so that freedom for me. My innocence card. My other things that that the gods given me this year is been absolutely miraculous from an Walkman freedom again and I and I think that years ago when I started my journaling job somehow to put it on my heart to start every morning with thanks thanks for the thinking of what I could be thankful for because unfortunately, what happens is if we start complaining we start satellite Israelites on the desk. It it grows throughout your day. But if somehow or another you can start out in the morning thinking wow what is it that God's really doing and and things like that changes your perspective and actually sometimes probably more times and not kids get this off better than we do and so going back and that's not something new but going back to an old cartoon old relatives. I guess it depending on your age and older cartoon called Charlie Brown Thanksgiving listen to Linus talk a little bit about the meaning of Thanksgiving, but also listen to his prayer. Yes, there is prayer in cartoons back and listen to his prayer at the end of it will come back and talk about what is praying for the LINE 1st chief's Bradford and Miles Mr. Esther went something like this God for our homes and our food safety God for the opportunity to clean a new world just on Dennis's list that that cartoons gotta be what 70s, mid 60s, because that was on in the mid 60s and so what we listen to that you really getting here that the they knew that God was a part of the provision even in a child's cartoon show. They knew that God was part of the provision in socialist is a bring back something to yes and I wonder today how many kids that are what Mize was back then was like six or seven or eight years old could even tell you what Thanksgiving was about and how that came about in the story with that and the other thing that I read a few years ago that I thought was interesting is it Charles Schultz who created all those Peanuts characters in Charlie Brown's Ashley Christian so he he shared these things, and that's why you had the prayer and those sorts of things.

He was put out there back and course was more commonplace then than it is today. Unfortunately, but he was on a mission to this talk about the true meaning of Thanksgiving. Unfortunately in today's world, the there are more things that in this world standard that are appropriate that are in prayer is not, and that's really amazes me how you know I was doing a great job just listening to you, but if I were to say anything about you. You just talk about this year. This is been one of those is wide open years for me. I've had a new job.

We moved that the new job was an incredible opportunity. My wife and I have gotten so much closer we had a great relationship work even better.

My kids and I get along. This ministry has changed in. We've just bonded so well together know that started teaching Sunday school again so this is been one of those is somebody while with the pinch because you will, but this is one of those. I can't believe this is really happening and I'm really amazed at the witness protection program are grateful for a new name all sorts of different things this year is not been without its challenges current.

There have been and I was thinking about that as he was saying that both for myself and some other people that I know anything about the song called blessings that my daughter and I have sang a couple of times together in church. Wonderful blessings come through raindrops, but if your healing comes through tears. A lot of people there.

Blessings may come through tough times they've had this year. Some things it's been really really hard but they seen that God is God is brought them joy, tutorship, circumstances, and they've grown and they've gone closer to him and I would say that I'm one of those people ask you question if it's okay. This year's had some challenges that's been very difficult for you as well.

But in that. Are you finding a different intimacy with God all big-time.

Really, I mean losing my sight. My wife has lost sight in a lifetime to collect everything nowadays so and is always there. He never shuts me off and no one I truly believe in that but I want to get back to something that Robby said that about Thanksgiving and enjoying the family and all that stuff. It just came to me. I remember every Thanksgiving that we had my grandmother and I mean we will like 25 would make bags of food and send us kids all the young kids to the neighbors that they knew didn't have not talk about the 30s and 40s didn't have anything to eat. They didn't know Thanksgiving. I'm not. These will just pull immigrants and here it was all time now at 6 o'clock will take care of neighborhood. Whichever way one and my father who was not. Maybe some of you remember what I said about my father, but he would go out himself and give up money Thanksgiving has a different meaning to me. You know it's two words.

Thanks. You have given me and now it's my turn to give in when you're living in that thankful that Thanksgiving place.

It softens hearts. Even some of the heart of people. It's her heart softened when they really let themselves be thankful this definitely I see my father looking like on his face. I was people he would go out.

It wasn't the same as when it came back. I mean, I actually seem to use in my thought this was never going to happen, you know, but became Thanksgiving and given it was really something that I really truly in memory that I cherish will my heart now by my family. One of the memories for me that is often give my in-laws a hard time and I joke with them a hard time but one of the traditions I started years ago was was riding on a we put this white sheet over the top of the table to table cloth and in writing every year summer rights with her thankful for each person goes around and we been doing it now since my daughters were 20+ years doing and we always have the date you can go back and you can kinda look and you can see what different people were thankful for different ages, but you can also see part of the journey came through his back and look and see what I thankful for two or three years ago in remember God provided for me at that time. If nothing else, it reminds me of hay and I was here for you here. You're free here is her for your family here. Yes, there were tough times. There's always tough times right we live behind enemy lines are tough times, the gods here and that's the reason to be thankful he has any that was profound. There is the two words, there is the thanks for the things that we received and a lot of folks today. Maybe I can while my Thanksgiving one all that great because of this this this, and I reflect back on certain friends like Bob Yunker doesn't have Rob Young to enjoy it and haven't enjoy Thanksgiving with them or you know my good friend needed filled as never has been sick this Thanksgiving and then you know what that's like for two, even to have those loved ones is to be tremendously thankful. I was studying the spirit of poverty this week and I found out something fascinating that the art of giving is in a way to dismiss that idea of the poverty of the spirit of poverty and so Thanksgiving part of Thanksgiving when you're giving money or giving food or whatever it is that you're giving your actually saying God is given me so much that there's this abundance that I can give it is not too late Thanksgiving weekend you still have time to go out and live on somebody and give thanks and you can do that just once a year but every day to take some time today and got I'm thankful for this and take some time tomorrow and the day after and soften your heart and we will as well. Thanks for listening