Scott (my husband) and I have talked about this question a couple of times: Isn't it kind of ironic how we celebrate the holidays, Thanksgiving and Christmas in particular?
We say that Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays to be thankful and compassionate to others. Give a little more, instead of get a little more. And yet, the latter often times seems to be the main focus of these holidays. I know this is not a novel concept, but I did want to touch on it a little. I mean, don't get me wrong. I love a great Thanksgiving feast with all of my family, and the time I have off to relax and enjoy myself. But if most of the focus is on our desire to please ourselves and indulge in bane desires like eating, I know that my focus can be misplaced and I become a little selfish over the holiday.
In the scriptures, every time the people were expressing thanks to their Heavenly Father they actually fasted instead of feasted. Isn't that interesting? I never realized how backwards we have turned. Just think, if all of us really did spend the day before Thanksgiving Day fasting and spending the time we would have spent eating, thinking about all of our blessings and thanking the Lord for what he has given us, by the time the Thanksgiving feast would come the next day, you better bet we will be thankful for that food! What is funny is that there are some thanksgivings where I have gone from feast to feast trying to see all of my family. So it turns into more of a, "Ok...I guess I can eat a little more..." rather than "Oh man I am so thankful for this food!" Mind you, not all of my Thanksgivings have been that way (it is only since I have been married that I have tried to see two families in one day on Thanksgiving), so most of the time my attitude is, "I am starving! I can't wait to eat!" But I was just thinking: Do we celebrate our holidays the right way? Shouldn't our Thanksgivings should be spent, perhaps, with a little fasting and reflecting as well as feasting? Let me know your thoughts. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment