Thanksgiving can be frustrating and great
George dreaded Thanksgiving with this wife’s family. Sure he liked all the turkey and fixings, but it was all the people and emotional drama that drove him nuts. He did not like the condescending way they treated his wife. Even though she was in her mid thirties and had two children they sometimes treated her like she was still an immature college student who did not know how to use a knife to cut up the carrots. Her Mom will complain the entire time about how they do not call or visit them enough.
Uncle Joe will be there with all his annoying and fabricated stories. No matter how sick George had been this year, Joe had been sicker. George knew when he talked about their kid’s activities this year; Joe’s kids had done more. George still remembers the year he told everyone he caught a 35 pound black fin tuna deep-sea fishing, and Joe informed everyone he had caught a 36-pound tuna. Aunt Mary will secretly complain to everyone what a horrible marriage she is stuck in, but will do nothing about it, just as she has done for the past eight years. And the cousins; they are wild, disrespectful, and a bad influence on the kids. It will take them a couple of weeks to get the kids to unlearn some of those bad attitudes and behaviors. George has almost given up on having a great thanksgiving.
Thankfully, for those who are followers of Christ, we are not trapped by our circumstances. The apostle Paul wrote some amazing words to guide us in these situations. In 1 Thessalonians he tells us to “rejoice always.” That does not mean every situation is going to be pleasant; Mom and Uncle Joe are still going to be annoying. But we can rejoice in Christ in any circumstance, if our own attitude is right. We cannot control the behaviors of others, but we are fully in charge of our own attitudes and behaviors. If we focus on what God has given us, and all the blessings we have, our entire perspective will change. George can focus on the fact that Mom loves them, and truly loves the kids. He can rejoice that the kids have a grandma and extended family that are involved in their lives. He can rejoice that Thanksgiving gives him several days with his own kids away from work. He can even rejoice that they don’t have to be with everyone for more than two days.
Paul goes on to say, “pray without ceasing.” The entire time the family is together God is calling on George to talk to him about what is going on. Maybe his kids can be a positive influence on the cousins. He can pray that God will deepen the relationship between his wife and her siblings. He can pray that they might be an encouragement to Aunt Mary and her husband, and maybe even be the catalyst to get them some help in their marriage. George can be in an ongoing conversation with Christ about Uncle Joe, seeing the insecure and hurting man he really is inside.
Finally Paul says, “In everything give thanks.” Yes, this is the true spirit of Thanksgiving. It is not about us; it is about thanking God for all he has blessed us with. George can thank God for his wonderful wife and kids. He can thank the Lord for his job, and his financial provision this year. So this thanksgiving George can stay positive, and see God moving even through all the messy relationships. Besides, grandma makes an awesome pumpkin pie.
