An ATTITUDE of GRATITUDE

What does Thanksgiving mean to you? I didn’t ask what are you thankful for, or what Thanksgiving do you remember most? But what does Thanksgiving mean to you?
In 1621 the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast which is now known as the first Thanksgiving. While cooking methods and table etiquette have changed as the holiday has evolved, the meal is still consumed today with the same spirit of celebration and overindulgence. The first feast wasn't repeated, so it wasn't the beginning of a tradition. In fact, the colonists didn't even call the day Thanksgiving. To them, a thanksgiving was a religious holiday in which they would go to church and thank God for a specific event, such as the winning of a battle.
All of this is well and good, but what does Thanksgiving mean to you? Is it just a day of family, eating and football? Or is it something more? We should be giving thanks every day, not just one day a year.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Give thanks in everything,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (HCSB)
We need to remember to always give thanks, even when we don’t feel like it, even when we don’t understand, even when we are mad or sad, give thanks.
We need to be careful what we say, a heart of gratitude shows up in the mouth.
Psalms 35:28 says, “And my tongue will proclaim Your righteousness, Your praise all day long.” (HCSB)
Psalms 107:1-3 says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
2 Let the redeemed of the Lord proclaim
that He has redeemed them from the hand of the foe
3 and has gathered them from the lands—
from the east and the west,
from the north and the south.” (HCSB)
This Thanksgiving, let’s all try to have an attitude of gratitude, let God hear it, let man hear it, let yourself hear it.