I love Thanksgiving more than Christmas. Saying that probably seems heretical and anti-God, but it’s not. I could list a lot of reasons, but the fact that Thanksgiving centers entirely on relationships is why I think this holiday might honor God even more than Christmas in some ways. A defining characteristic of God is His eternal relationship with the other two parts of Himself. This sounds insane, and there’s not really a way to talk about it without sounding like a crazy person, but the bottom line is, God loves being in relationship with others. And since we’re made in His image, our default is to hunger for relationships. There are a multitude of wounds we can take on or environmental factors that can diminish a person’s desire for relationships, but I truly believe that, if the soul were untarnished, it would be at it’s happiest knowing and being known by others fully. When families and friends-like-family get together simply to enjoy each other, I am 100% sure God is loving every second. Each moment together might not be full of warm fuzzies, but a holiday focused entirely on bringing people together is surely something God loves. The more Christmas becomes focused on material things, the more I think Jesus might enjoy hanging out to watch the Macy’s parade and the dog show.
Thanksgiving brings some of the sweetest people I know together each year, and having children of my own, this day becomes vital to helping my kids form memories with people that are extremely dear to me. Take, for example, my Uncle Roger, who is married to my mom’s sister, Melody. Uncle Roger is literally the most kind person I have ever known. It seems like the man cannot say anything harmful or negative about anyone. His presence alone is enough to calm any tension in any room. He lives about 4 hours away from us and works insane hours at work. Without this annual tradition to bring him to Houston where our Thanksgiving is hosted, my kids would not know him. Or consider my Aunt Tamie, who is my mom’s sister. Being the host of our annual gathering, she starts planning her Thanksgiving event in July, sewing small quilts that she decorates and mounts on cards, and then writes out heartfelt invitations to friends and family. She creates an after-lunch Christmas craft for everyone to make and take home, and she always sends everyone away with a personal gift she has created. To top it all off, she rents a bouncy castle for the kids, so she is our personal hero for providing Maggie with something to do while we visit. Without Thanksgiving, my kids might not get to make as many memories with her or many other family members. I love Thanksgiving for the people that it brings back into my life each year. And I also love my family’s sweet potato casserole. It’s very important to me.- J
