November 27 ~ Psalm 118:28-29
Blessed are you who enter in God’s name—
from God’s house we bless you!
God is God,
he has bathed us in light.
Festoon the shrine with garlands,
hang colored banners above the altar!
You’re my God, and I thank you.
O my God, I lift high your praise.
Thank God—he’s so good.
His love never quits!
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Yesterday, we visited Greg’s brother and sister-in-law in another city. Their son and his family came from Tennessee for Thanksgiving, so we got to play with our great-nieces, Kelsey Lynn and Ellie Grace. Our sister-in-law had filled the house from top to bottom with Thanksgiving décor. Today, we will have lunch at my mother’s house, and I am sure there will be a few pumpkins and turkeys sitting around – and maybe a cornucopia or two!
I also got the “holiday decorating gene”, and I have sprinkled quite a bit of fall décor throughout our home. In a few days, our house will be transformed into a Christmas wonderland (or as my other sister-in-law put it last year, it will look “like someone threw up Christmas” around here!). There will be “garlands and banners” of sorts…mini Christmas lights, a tree – or three!...snowmen and Santas…and dozens of nativity scenes on display throughout our house.
Not everyone decorates for the holidays - certainly not to the extent that I do! And I have a feeling that my efforts pale in comparison to those of many! The reasons for over-the-top decorating and festivities are varied. Some may understandably ask, “Why do people make themselves crazy at Thanksgiving and Christmas with cooking, decorating, shopping and ‘getting out the good stuff’ to set a holiday table?” Why do people fly halfway across the country …endure crowded lines, packed-like-sardines aircraft, buses and highways…and put up with lost luggage, delayed or cancelled flights, and unbelievable traffic jams – just to get to Grandma’s house?
At the core of it all, I believe the answer is…love. Our homes are “festooned” in holiday finery to say, “Welcome! Love abounds amidst this cozy chaos!” I would HOPE that these decorations and festivities celebrate the love of God for His people…and that this is the focus rather than commercialism. If this is not the case, it should be. We should decorate and celebrate our gratitude for God’s amazing, incredible, perfect gift of Jesus. And while every day should be Thanksgiving Day…on this particular one, we should pause somewhere between the turkey and the pumpkin pie to count our blessings…and to thank God for every one of them!
Whether you hang a banner or garland - or not…remember to celebrate God’s blessings in your life. Thank Him for giving us Jesus…and for covering us in His unfailing love and care each and every day. From my house to yours…may God bless you this Thanksgiving Day - and in each day of the coming year! May you be bathed in His light and love today – and always. Happy Thanksgiving!
©2014 Debbie Robus
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