Does any other country have a holiday like Thanksgiving? Maybe Sukkot? Sukkot, however, is celebrated by the scattered tribes, not just a single country. Other than those two, my limited knowledge doesn't call forth any other.
Thankfulness is an interesting position. When one is unthankful, nothing is right. There is no justice. Lack dominates. Greed takes hold of one's mind and bitterness invades. The scale may be large or small, but any amount of bitterness and greed can disrupt one's peace.
Allow the thankful heart to grow, and bitterness has to flee. It's amazing what a little change in attitude can do. It doesn't change circumstances, at least not right away, but it will change one's mental and physical responses to circumstance.
Proverbs 17:22
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
Thankfulness brings peace.
Philippians 4:6,7
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Thankfulness is not the same as a Pollyanna attitude. Thankfulness acknowledges that something good does exist, and it leaves us in a better position to improve the not-so-good. Thankfulness reduces stress. Therefore, you can continue to work on improvements as needed, but be thankful for what you already have.
We have thankgivings sermons at churches, etc, but we don't have the family gatherings and dinners, etc.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have the 'discount day' either, but we do have days where the stores stay open till midnight and some nights where they stay open until 10 pm the week before Christmas. Over here the chance to buy something you need at half price, comes after Christmas and New Year, in January...
Stores opening and 'discount days' have nothing to do with the reason for the holiday. It seems that people focus more on that than being thankful. :(
DeleteThe holiday is supposed to be about this: http://wilstar.com/holidays/thankstr.htm
It is supposed to be a symbol of the American Spirit, but even thankfulness is too much for some:
http://barracudabrigade.blogspot.com/2012/11/texas-professor-founders-like-nazis.html