What if ThanksGiving is about ThanksLiving?

Every year I look forward to November’s main holiday, Thanksgiving. But I really desire to live a life of ThanksGiving to God by ThanksLiving for Him year round.

Although Christmas is one of my favorite holidays, I enjoy celebrating the time set aside for giving thanks. 

Maybe you’re one of those people who already has your home Christmas-ready. That’s awesome for you. I say, To each her own. 

Yet, it’s not my cup of tea. Not even holiday spiced tea. For me, I like both feet firmly planted in our thankful holiday before moving on. But the weekend after giving thanks? Then, I’m all about hanging ornaments, positioning blinking lights, and spreading Christmas cheer.

ThanksGiving Around the Table

I enjoy everything about ThanksGiving: gathering with loved ones, and decorating with pumpkins, leaves, and small pilgrims. And I love doing a portion of the cooking.

Because the overall menu lands in the top spot as my all-time-favorite meal. My husband often poses this question: If you could choose one last meal, what would it be? 

Ask anyone who knows me well, and they will tell you how I always choose our ThanksGiving meal. A menu of turkey, dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, mac & cheese, green beans, sweet potato casserole, homemade rolls, and pies—pumpkin and lemon (my grandmother Clarkston’s recipe). 

Yum! I can hardly wait! 

ThanksGiving is About ThanksLiving

Still, we know the celebration isn’t just about taking our seat at the table to gobble down savory and sweet delicacies. Instead, it’s about ThanksGiving and ThanksLiving.

To encourage our ThanksLiving along, let’s remind ourselves to give thanks for and to our great God. Because He’s a good, good Father who’s given us many gifts.  

God Almighty is reason enough to give thanks and live thankful.

Then we remind ourselves to give thanks to God through living a life of sincere ThanksGiving by ThanksLiving. 

ThanksLiving is ThanksGiving supercharged and supersized. It’s living out giving thanks in our lives all year long by living thankful to God. It’s having thankfulness displayed in our hearts and lives November through November.

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Thankful to God From Whom all Blessings Flow

Welcome to the second week of a thanksgiving series as we look at being thankful to God.

“Blessings!”

Lately, I’ve formed a word-habit in my online replies. I throw out the word over and over again.

Blessings! Thanks and blessings! I pray blessings over your ministry. Blessings to you and your family! God bless!

See what I mean? I quite overuse the word.

But do I realize what’s behind the well wishes? And do I give thanksgiving for my blessings?

Thankful to God: Vast Blessings

We’ve heard it said to count our blessings.

But if we look at the shocking amount of blessings God extends to us, they are hard to number.

When we consider the shocking amount of ways God blesses us, it's difficult to really count or name each one. #Godisgood Share on X

Of course, we all count ourselves blessed with family and friends. Also, blessed in how God provides for our daily needs of food, shelter, the jobs we hold, and so on.

And who’s not giving thanks these days for health? I pray to never take a healthy body for granted. Or, the physical well-being of my spouse, children, and grandchildren.

But there are times we forget, even as Christ-followers. So we need reminding of the vast blessings from a gracious God, too numerous to even count.

Blessed is Our Generous God

For example, take the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church at Ephesus. After he greets the saints who were faithful in Christ, he says this.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us IN Christ with EVERY spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 1:3, emphasis mine).

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Growing Grateful and Generous Hearts

It’s that time of year. We know how the season is supposed to go down. Besides pumpkin pie and turkey, we are encouraged to cultivate attitudes of gratitude. Something accomplished by growing grateful and generous hearts.

Such as these 4 attitudes:

Count our blessings.

Be thankful.

Express our gratefulness.

Show our generosity.

And maybe we do and are these things during Thanksgiving.

Perhaps some of us manage to pull it off most of November or even the entire year. 

But when we look at this list, do we think of our lives, our family, and more importantly, our God? 

Because sometimes I epitomize these attitudes and other times not so much.

When we express gratitude for what the Lord has given us and for the great things He has done, we realize we are blessed beyond measure.

When we express gratitude for what the Lord has given us and for the great things He has done, we realize we are blessed beyond measure. Share on X

Yet, how do we cultivate attitudes of gratitude in all the areas of our lives, for the people in our lives, and for the God who gives us life?

Even further, are gratitude, generosity, and thanksgiving possible January through December—not just during November or on Thanksgiving Day?

And where do we start? Let’s use the list in the introduction and unpack each one.

(1.) Count Our Blessings: Growing Grateful Hearts

Everyone brace yourselves. This is going to blow our minds! The Lord provides:

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