Thank God it's Friday

Thanksgiving is less than a week away. It may be hard to recognize that because many places that we go we already see signs of Christmas. This year retailers are trying to boost there profits by starting the Christmas shopping season early. It is important to understand that the reason we are seeing Christmas ads on TV is that they are trying to get people to buy stuff. It is not an early run at celebrating Christ's birth.

I am grateful today, as we are being enticed to jump ahead to the buying and consumerism of the modern capitalistic Christmas, that there are those things that remind us that we still need to be thankful. Thanksgiving is still coming before Christmas.

I am also thankful for the season of Advent. Advent is a reminder to us us that we don't just jump into Christmas. Christmas needs our preparation. Christmas needs our hearts and our lives to be prepared for Christ's coming. I am thankful that this season, which begins after Thanksgiving, is focused on the reason for the celebration of Christmas and not just on buy, buy, buy. There will be competing carols over the next several weeks. One will urge us to buy. One will urge us to stress and to worry. One will urge us to think we can't do without something. One will urge us to to skip ahead and miss what God wants. And one will urge us to prepare for Christ to come into our lives. It will urge us to focus on Christ at Christmas. It will urge us to be thankful. It will urge us to love and receive love. It will urge us to make a place for Jesus.

I am thankful that this carol can not be drowned out by black Friday, early sales, or stimulus marketing. I am thankful that that carol is being sung by Christ's followers. Take time and give thanks. Enjoy thanksgiving and get ready to prepare your heart and your life for Christmas.

Give thanks!

Love today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug