Don't Forget Thanksgiving

First week of school? Check.

First rehearsal for children's Christmas musical? That's next week.

New baby? Almost there.

Looks like I won't be writing as much these next few months.

But if I could leave you with only one thought between now and Christmas, this would be it.

My children and I were at the store a few days ago, and we couldn't believe our eyes. It's August, and the store already put out Christmas wrappings and toys! Maybe it's me (I can hardly think past this weekend), but isn't that a bit early? I shook my head in disbelief, then made a wide detour around the Christmas aisle. After shopping for a bit, we ended up on the other side of that same aisle, except instead of Christmas things, the racks showcased Halloween costumes. Of course, my children noticed right away, and my daughter commented, "They have Halloween and Christmas, but they skipped over Thanksgiving!"

Yes, I agree with her. Many people have skipped over Thanksgiving. I'm not saying that businesses should start commercializing Thanksgiving like they do Halloween and Christmas; what I mean is that we have lost the spirit of Christmas. We need to remember that Christmas is not just about decorating and buying. We should not allow the extravagance of 'stuff' to overshadow its simple message. We should not rack up debt on credit cards during the holiday season when a small, heart-felt gift or letter and a spirit of gratefulness mean so much more. We should not forget why we celebrate, why we have any reason at all to be thankful in the first place.

I love Christmas. It's a beautiful holiday. But I find it beautiful because God came to be with us in the most rustic and unimpressive way possible. And for that I am thankful.