THANKSGIVING 2011

As Americans enter the holiday season, there is a mixture of joy and sadness. Why? Holidays, particularly Thanksgiving and Christmas, evoke nostalgia. 1) We think of past holidays and recall unsatisfying experiences or 2)we mourn who or what we have lost. I have known and still know people stuck in this cycle, like an old fashioned record stuck in a groove, they yearly relive a sad childhood experience or mourn the family member no longer with them, rather than reflect on the joy that could be found in the present.

I am nostalgic about Thanksgiving. Yes, there are some really unhappy holidays in my past, but even in these times I managed to focus on the reasons for the holiday celebrations. Thanksgiving is about focusing on what God has provided. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. That helped me push my own hurts and disappointments aside. Sometimes going through the motions is what you need to do to get to a better place in your life.

This week I heard a news report that said that people with a thankful, grateful spirit are both more physically and mentally healthy than those who are ungrateful. No doubt they are happier.

This Thanksgiving Holiday let us have a thankful heart. Laugh about the burned marshmallows on the yams. Joke about the jiggling cranberry sauce. Scarf down the dry stuffing and lumpy gravy, but remember to enjoy the moment.

Joy!

My post yesterday caused some concern among readers. I didn't mean to worry others. I just wanted to share a feeling that many have during the holiday. I wanted to say that the way to get through it is to focus on those moments of joy until the stressful times pass.

Focus on the Joy.

Joy To The World/Broken

Living life is often a stressful task. The holidays seem to accentuate our emotions, whether good or bad. This week, emotions have run very, very high. Part of it is economic. Part of it is about cultural differences among a religious community. I have prayed about this situation, cried about it, and feel no peace.

I recall that haunting Johnny Cash song, Broken. The song was one of Cash's last recordings. His voice, tired and gritty, accentuates the lyrics. He truly seems broken. --And I that is the way I felt today--broken before the Lord. He knows my situation.

As I walked into church this morning I was beaten by the world. I was looking for a moment of peace, a bit of sanctuary. The service had all ready begun. As I entered the church, I heard the melodious chords, Joy To The World. The loft was bathed in twinkling white lights and poinsettias blanketed the front stage. For a brief moment I wasn't broken; I was truly joyful.

The holidays are like that.

Nothing about my situation is different. My problems are still there. Monday I will go to work and my stomach will be tied up in knots--but for a brief moment there was joy.

Sometimes a moment is all you get.