Happy Thanksliving

A friend of mine closed his email by saying, "Happy Thanksliving." At first I thought it was a type-o, but the more I looked at it, (and even said it out loud!) it wasn't a mistake. Thanks-Living.

Tomorrow is the annual stuff-yourself-until-you-are-sick Thanksgiving holiday. It's an old holiday, the first one being recorded in 1621 in Plymouth, celebrated by the English colonist and the Native Americans. This harvest meal was the symbol of cooperation between these two very different people groups. They shared a large hearty meal together and gave thanks for the bountiful crops at harvest time. Today, we share Thanksgiving with our loved ones; watching football on the flatpanel TV screen, eat a week's worth of food in one setting, and maybe even play a game of Scattergories or Mad Gab. We have a lot to be thankful for!

I got to thinking....Thanksgiving is something we do. Thanksliving is something we become ~ living a life of thanks and gratitude even when life is throwing us curve-balls. Living thankfully in those trying and difficult moments is incredibly challenging, but has some amazing benefits. Living thankfully in all situations has a way of transforming our heart, and we begin to look at life differently, we see joy even in the darkness. It's a paradox. It's mysterious. It's Divine.

As my little family and I sit down and consume large amounts of sleep inducing turkey with all the fixings, we will give thanks for all that is right and lovely in our lives. And you can bet that the conversation of Thanksliving will quickly follow.

May you and yours enjoy this holiday, see the beauty in the brokenness and be compelled to ponder how you can change the world by adding a little Thanksliving into your days.

Grace & lot's of peace ~ deAnn