I was going over the list in my head this day before Thanksgiving, reminding myself what needs to be purchased, what needs to be prepared, what needs to be set in order…my Thanksgiving Checklist. But I began to wonder if I had my priorities straight. I wonder what is on your Thanksgiving Checklist.
On your list of things to do, does it say be thankful for what you have, not what you need to get? Does it say rejoice in your health? Does your Thanksgiving checklist remind you to be thankful for your family or your home or your job? Mine didn’t. This morning it was a list of pies and food and deadlines. I made some adjustments.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. Psalm 95:2-3
Thanksgiving Checklist (revised):
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Thankful for breath and life and health (even if that means just alive)
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Thankful for family, all of them, even the challenging
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Thankful for my job, not everyone can say that
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Thankful for my home, I have shelter and it is beautiful
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Thankful for my husband, God gave me a good one, a miracle
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Thankful for my children, they are unique and special and were handpicked for me
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Thankful for my country, its messed up and difficult but we are free and privelaged
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Thankful for transportation that is warm and reliable
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Thankful for my closet of clothes, I have a ridiculous amount of options
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Thankful for hot water, on a cold day or on a warm one, to get clean and to enjoy
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Thankful for chocolate, best discovery on planet earth
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Thankful for peace, its in my home, its in my life, its mostly in my country and Jesus will bring it to the world.
Jesus spent a lot of time ‘reclining at the table’. Its all through the gospels. He reclined at the table of those he loved and those he mentored and those he was concerned for. He wasn’t picky about whom he reclined with, he sat with those that you and I wouldn’t choose to recline with. For me, it struck me most profoundly that he reclined at tables. He hung around them, he enjoyed the moment, he didn’t rush, he relaxed.
I think he did this because he was thankful for people and he knew something magical happens over a meal. A connection that you can’t find in the market place or at your desk job. A connection that means more then a courteous hello on the street corner. Jesus knew what was important and so he reclined.
Will you recline tomorrow? Will Jesus be at your table? Will you come before him with Thanksgiving and extol him with music and songs from your heart? Will you recline at the table and give thanks for more then the turkey, for the game, for the pie?
Will you change your Thanksgiving List and come to the table that He has prepared? I don’t ask this questions for just tomorrows feast but the feast to come. Let us prepare ourselves for the the table that He is preparing for us. Let us adjust our lists to reflect our direction toward the day he returns. That we may recline with him.
Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Reclining!