11/24/2011

Giving Thanks

This was the first Thanksgiving in four years that my wife hasn't had to work. But she's got plenty of reading and other things to do for her grad work, so she wasn't up for traveling several hours to celebrate with Thanksgiving today.

So we had Thanksgiving at our house with friends from our old neighborhood in St. Louis Park. We haven't seen them in over a month. They just returned this last week from China with their new daughter. The boys have been looking forward to being with their good friends and meeting their new sister. So we're grateful for good friends to spend the day with. And the delicious food our wives made. And for a fun day together. And for seeing the smiling face of their new daughter. There was much to be thankful for.

I am also thankful that we don't have to get up early to try and find deals on things we don't need spending money we don't have (or, even worse, going out tonight as stores are already open on Thanksgiving night). Going shopping with hordes of people sounds soul-sucking to me right now. Maybe instead we could ruminate more on why we're thankful...maybe let our gratitude spur us on to do good deeds for those who don't have as much...maybe just having time with the kids that doesn't involve pulling out a credit card.

I'm all for getting the best deal on things and being good stewards of money. I just hate the juxtaposition of a day of gratitude followed by a day of intense consumerism.

But I'm a hypocrite, too. There is plenty I "preach" about that I don't always do well. Like communicating with my wife, putting God first, living simply...(I could go on, but you get the idea). So I guess above all, I'm thankful for grace, forgiveness and that God (and others) love an imperfect me.

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