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Monday, November 20, 2006
Something Different For Thanksgiving
I was thinking the other day about Thanksgiving and I thought the obvious thought that Thanksgiving is a time to GIVE thanks. But that lead me to think about GIVING thanks in terms of giving something like a gift. I know, this still isn’t some mind blowing revelation, but it made me think that maybe I should start a new family tradition in my home in which we would give the gift of thanks to others.
What I am saying is that Thanksgiving gives us a great opportunity to give someone the gift of telling them “thank you” for the ways God has used them to bless your life.
I still think Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to be thankful and to count the blessing we have; we certainly should still offer our thanks up to God as our love offering to Him. But, this Thanksgiving in addition to expressing your thankfulness to God, give someone the gift of telling them “thank you” for what they mean to you in your life.
Please feel free to share your thoughts about Thanksgiving and/or the people and things you are thankful for in the comments.
Singer and songwriter Jewel will serve as the honorary chair of the Fannie Mae Foundation Help the Homeless Program and Walkathon in DC on November 18th 2006. Jewel will bring a powerful and personal perspective when she speaks at the event. This made me think of Jewel’s song “Hands” because it reminds me of what the Kingdom of God is all about. Take a moment to watch the video and read and reflect on the words below.
"Hands"
If I could tell the world just one thing It would be that we're all OK And not to worry 'cause worry is wasteful And useless in times like these I won't be made useless I won't be idle with despair I will gather myself around my faith For light does the darkness most fear My hands are small, I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own And I am never broken Poverty stole your golden shoes It didn't steal your laughter And heartache came to visit me But I knew it wasn't ever after We'll fight, not out of spite For someone must stand up for what's right 'Cause where there's a man who has no voice There ours shall go singing My hands are small I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own I am never broken In the end only kindness matters In the end only kindness matters I will get down on my knees, and I will pray I will get down on my knees, and I will pray I will get down on my knees, and I will pray My hands are small I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own And I am never broken My hands are small I know But they're not yours, they are my own But they're not yours, they are my own And I am never broken We are never broken We are God's eyes God's hands God's mind We are God's eyes God's hands God's heart We are God's eyes God's hands God's eyes We are God's hands We are God's hands
On November 18th, 2006 the homeless shelter in DC I work for, Community of Hope, will be participating in the Help the Homeless Walkathon sponsored by the Fannie Mae Foundation. I want to extend an invitation to you to join us and walk with us. You can register here on line for 25 dollars, or you can walk for FREE if you email me and I can send you a special registration form. For every 100 walkers that we have with us, COH gets an additional $2,000 to help the people we serve in our shelter.
Like I said, the words of Jewel's song remind me that "in the end, only kindness matters", and that we are God’s hands, his feet, and his love in action to this world that we live in today. To me this is the Kingdom of Heaven, what do you think?
