Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It's a time for eating, family and giving thanks. It seems to me however, that giving thanks often takes a back seat to a great meal or family or football. This got me to wondering, why is that?

Well, here's what I believe. I believe we have been undereducated when it comes to what Thanksgiving is really about. When the Pilgrims came over, they had a difficult winter and many people died. But, the Native Americans were kind to them by teaching them to grow corn and hunt the native animals, among other things. Once they pilgrims had these abilities, they could survive, so they had a giant feast with the Native Americans to give thanks. But, Who were they thanking? The public school system would have us believe that the Pilgrims were thanking the Native Americans, and that's it. No doubt, the Pilgrims were thanking the Native Americans, but they were also thanking God. For they believed it was God who brought them to the new world. It was God working through the Native Americans teaching them how to survive. And now, they were thanking God for their blessings.

I believe this lack of education is why going to church on Thanksgiving is not a regular event like it is on Christmas and Easter. When I was growing up, we didn't go to church on Thanksgiving. I don't blame anyone for that, it's not expected. However, our family started the tradition of going to Mass on Thanksgiving 5 or 6 years ago. Now it feels wrong not to go. Going to Mass on Thanksgiving really puts me in a mindset to thank God for all the good, and sometimes bad, things that are in my life. It's a good thing, and I wish more people would make it practice to spend an hour with God on Thanksgiving, because it is from Him that all things come.

With that in mind, this Thanksgiving, I thank God for my wonderful wife, my 2 great kids, my parents, my in-laws and the rest of my family and friends. I'm thankful for my dog, my health, and that I have a warm place to live and food to eat. I'm thankful for the opportunities I've been given to grow in my faith this year. I'm thankful that I get to play golf. I'm thankful that I live in the greatest country on earth. But most of all, I'm thankful that I am a child of God!