A YEAR OF THANKFULNESS

In a world where one’s every waking moment seems to be scheduled from sunrise to sunset, from seminary to soccer, we are perpetually propagandized by a profit driven press with its tendency to accentuate and sensationalize the worries and wrongs of the world; a world where the media marches over the hopefulness of the masses, frightened that an accusatory finger might not be pointed at some evil or intolerant action in society. There should be little surprise that most of us are hard pressed to conscientiously and consistently openly express our gratitude as we struggle through this confused and contentious era.

“The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man.” Joseph F Smith

Wasn’t it wonderful that Franklin D. Roosevelt took pen in hand the day after Christmas in 1941 and signed into law the establishment of the fourth Thursday in November as the official day of Thanksgiving celebration? The day had been the standard for most citizens of the United States of America for some time, but there remained some who held their feasts of bounteous harvest on other days. It was just a little sad that some of the motivation for a single united day of a Thanksgiving holiday was a need to boost the economy. I think these law makers could not have had the foggiest idea that the long weekend would open the calendar for the development of ‘BLACK FRIDAY’ and its unchecked consumerism.

Gratefully, we now had a day when we could pause from the pressures of our daily grind. Enter the day of tradition bound turkey toil, gluttony and tube watching. We traditionally pause momentarily and mechanically to mention at least one object of our gratefulness before the consumption commences.

Likewise, we should all be grateful to those who have extended the Thanksgiving Day into a season, which gives us more than one day to turn from being one of the nine lepers who did not confess the hand of the Lord in their cleansing and return with the ‘faithful one’ to give thanks unto the source of our every blessing.

As we put away the wailing witches and jack-o-lanterns and haunted houses and begin to transition the table top into a country village blessed with over flowing abundance, we pause if but briefly to give thanks for the daily bread which like the pot blessed by Elisha never empties, resolving if only in some small way to add to a widow’s empty plate.

As we wander the aisles of the market selecting one delicacy after another we might pause and give thanks that we have plenty and enough, enough for a generous offering for those who have none at all.

As we punch the time clock on Wednesday afternoon we gratefully think about the work bench which will greet us Monday next, praying that somehow the way might be opened for others to have meaningful employment.

As we travel over the river and through the woods we give thanks for the colorful variety of desert and forest which give beauty to the earth’s vistas, hoping to be more conscious of the stewardship we all have to be guardians of our planet’s majesty and abundance.

As friends and family gather ‘round the extra leaf expanded table we give thanks for every kind countenance in our view and resolve in some way to strive to alleviate the plight of those lonely souls who are not so blessed.

As our eyes, mesmerized by the umpteenth football game, begin to droop, we give thanks for these times we have to relax and re-create, remembering that there are many who can never cease laboring for their scant existences.

As we inventory our personal peculiarities we give thanks to those who daily forgive our oddities and extend arms to embrace and accept us with all lovingness, vowing to be just a little more tolerant of those who see the world through different lenses.

As we sit in assemblies of worship we give thanks for the faith promoting synergistic magic which comes when even a few are gathered in His name, resolving to befriend and invite others to this spiritual feast.

Now that we have expanded our confession of thankfulness to a little season let us more diligently strive to extend the season into a yearlong jubilation. A jubilation where daily we are found giving forth in song, prayer and silent thoughts praises of gratitude for that which has been provided and that for which we must struggle. Let us live lives of unfailing gratitude, showing by giving succor, sustenance and sympathy to those we find in need, becoming like the lone faithful leper who returned to give thanks, how truly grateful we are.

“To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.” Thomas S. Monson