I hope that your Thanksgiving holiday was a good one. We had a pretty good one ourselves even though there was some sickness in the house leading up to it. I am grateful that everyone was able to enjoy some time around some good food and watching some good football.

Thanksgiving seems to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season easily. It is crazy that when Halloween is over that every store starts putting out the Christmas stuff. It is easy to just look over this little holiday that is intended to help us notice and be thankful for the many blessings that we have been given. We tried to keep November focused on the thought of being thankful in our house.

I have noticed that as it is easy to miss Thanksgiving and all that it has to offer leading up to the end of November, it is just as easy to just turn the page when “Black Friday” arrives and forget what we had the opportunity to experience.

This year has been a different one in our house. We love the Christmas season, don’t get me wrong. This year though there seems to be more excitement about the Christmas season in our house. We already have six trees of various sizes up and decorated. We have the stockings hung as well. I am excited to be preparing sermons for Advent.

With all the wonder of the Christmas season, I have noticed a tendency to leave “thanksgiving” in the rearview. As I think on this more and more, I believe that to do this would remove a great part of the Christmas season.

The Christmas season is not about lights, trees, stockings and presents (though I like all of these). Christmas is truly about the greatest gift ever given – God sent His Son (Jesus) to the world to make salvation possible. Is there anything more worthy of our thanks??? What does it say about us if we lose the thanksgiving when it comes to the greatest gift?

I would encourage you to join me in not letting thanksgiving be left in the rearview. Keep it always before you and let this Christmas season be all that it should be.