Thanksgiving.

I find it peculiar that we have to have a day to remind us to be thankful for everything we have. Don't get me wrong, I love the holiday, fun, and family-ness, but it's funny that of all places, America needs a reminder to be thankful for what we have. In America, we have an abundance of food, so much so that nearly 3/4 the population is overweight.
We have shelter and electricity and shoes, and if someone is lacking just one of these things, begin the pity party.
Our biggest stresors are from work or school, or that boy or girl that hurt your feelings.
We forget that there are people in the world who would think even the most poverty ridden American cities were from a fairytale. And this isn't to make people feel bad while they eat, it's to make people think.
But we also have this freedom to be thankful for. I can say Jesus in my savior and I belong to the Lord, and be free of persecution. Sure, someone can say ew, or whatever people say about christians, but the fact they can say that is why we should be thankful. We are blessed to live somwhere that harbors the way God gave us free will, so that when we fall in love with him it can be sincere and true.

Anyway, as Americans, we have some strange antics.
When given a stable supply of food, we overeat and everyone is verging on obesity.
When given a surplus material things, too many become hoarders.
When given freedom to use alcohol, too many become alcoholics.
When given tobacco products, everyone has lung cancer.
When given the freedom (to a point) of controlling our sexual relations, we have 1 in 3 teenage girls pregnant.
When given TV, we become more obese, sedentary, and forget the world God created.
When given video games, we become obsessed with what those characters can do.
When given a couch or bed, we don't leave it.
When given a vehicle, we forget we can walk.
When given natural resources, we expend them until we've screwed ourselves over.
When given a beautiful world, we pollute it.
When given technology for communication, we gossip and hate.

The things we recieve are abused till they become a problem. We overuse. Everything. Taking this freedom for granted sucking the life out of every blessing introduced to us. Yet we need to be reminded to be thankful.
What if we recieve things that don't run out? Things can don't hurt us or others around us? What would happen if we, as christians, gave this country too much love for one another? A stable supply of Jesus? An abundance of examples of living in Christ?
Maybe we would be more thankful for what we have. And give to those who do need more to be thankful for.

Jesus died on the cross for YOU. Happy Thanksgiving.