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Thanksgiving Thursday
By Alicia Becton
March 13, 2000
Thursday. The day before Friday. Not usually a great day, but
also usually not too bad. For, if you can make it through Thursday, there is
only one day left in the workweek and you can survive anything for one day. At
least I can. I can go on virtually no sleep for days and by the time Thursday
hits, I’m exhausted, but I know after Friday comes the weekend.
In thinking about what to write for the Thursday devotion, I
thought about the other days of the week and the significance they hold. Monday
is the start of the week and therefore a lousy day. Tuesday–not much
significance because its too early in the week. Wednesday is the middle of the
week. Friday is easy–the last day of the week or the beginning of the weekend.
Saturday is a free day (not really as most of us save up personal chores for
Saturday, but you get the idea). Sunday is church day. There is only one special
Thursday in the whole year that remains consistent no matter what the date on
the calendar says and that’s Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November
every year.
Before I discuss Thanksgiving and being thankful, I have to
list some pet peeves of mine. I find that many times my coworkers can really
annoy me. I realize its human nature to want to talk and not listen, but when I
feel that a coworker stops by my desk just to hear him/herself talk, the
one-sided conversation wears thin on my nerves. The poor waiters and waitresses
that have trouble with separate checks for a big group of us can bug me - and
don’t get me started on a situation that involves coupons. When I subscribe to
the weekend newspaper and some neighbor helps him/herself to it so I end up
going out and buying another Sunday paper. Car alarms that go off on a regular
basis. Loud music from the neighbors apartment (probably while they’re
enjoying reading my paper) at any time of the day or night. Admittedly,
apartment living in general has finally gotten the best of me.
When I get to the point that all I see are the pet peeves, I’m
reminded of the words of Paul "if it be possible, as much as lieth in
you, live peaceably with all men." (Romans 12:18) There are times that
this verse becomes a theme verse for me. Sometimes patience alludes me
completely. I may have stirred up some memories of the small things that affect
all of us from time to time as everyone has different things that annoy them.
Having covered that, I now go back to Thursday. I’m writing this on a Thursday
(I’m a little late for the deadline on turning this in, but feel this somehow
appropriate). True to form, I’m tired today, but tomorrow is Friday. I’m
also thankful today. After venting about apartment life, I am thankful to report
that I close on my first home tonight. The Lord has worked things out for me to
be able to make this enormous purchase.
Scripture lists all kinds of horrible attributes of man: "...lovers
of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers,…"
(II Timothy 3:2-5) in the middle of all of this is unthankful. It’s
important to guard against becoming unthankful as we have so many things for
which to be thankful and just take them for granted. It’s also important to
realize that we are instructed to "enter into His gates with
thanksgiving and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless
His name." (Psalm 100:4).
So, its Thursday and the only importance it holds is being
the day before Friday. But more than just on Thanksgiving, having a spirit of
thankfulness can go much further than dwelling on the petty annoyances in life.
Perhaps the viewpoint I need to further develop is being thankful for my mystery
neighbor that thinks my paper belongs to him if I don’t get it by 8am. For
without him, I may not have gone house hunting as soon. Thanks buddy!
ninetyandnine.com
Article © Alicia Becton, 2000
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Alicia Becton works in the insurance field and coaches a Junior Bible
Quizzing team in Nashville. A graduate of the University of Missouri - St.
Louis, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics, she travels the
country often - though she tries to avoid the boring drive between Nashville and
St. Louis whenever possible.
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