The “Holiday Season” will soon begin. By the calendar of the church, Christmas time begins with Advent. By what we see all around, Christmas time seems to begin with Thanksgiving. Some folks get annoyed with this but maybe that is fitting.

The thanksgiving holiday is not set out in the Bible. Our President, Abraham Lincoln, made it a holiday long before many were concerned about something called the separation of church and state. As he called for a day of thanks, President Lincoln said, “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwells in the Heavens.”

Since that day Thanksgiving seems to begin the “Holiday Season”.

Maybe it was an accident. Maybe it was providence. After all, it just seems right to begin Christmas time with Thanksgiving. Thankfulness is a good way to approach Christmas. Thankfulness is a very good beginning in our celebration of the birth of Jesus. If we think about the wonderful, marvelous grace poured out into this world at the birth of Christ, thankfulness is a very good attitude to have.

We have so much for which we can be thankful, sure, but the greatest gift is God’s love in Jesus. As we go through stores, we can be annoyed that Thanksgiving displays are mingled with Christmas decorations but maybe they belong together. Maybe we can keep Thanksgiving going longer than a day. Maybe we can keep an attitude of thanks right on through Christmas. A thankful heart is one that notices the abundant blessings from God.

As you travel and shop and work and visit. If you notice Christmas decorations mixed in with those for Thanksgiving, maybe you can think about our thanks being rightly tied to the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

May God Bless you with a thankful heart.

In Christ,

Pastor Rhodie Jacobson