Fasting and Thanksgiving. What??

I know what you're thinking...what does fasting and Thanksgiving have to do with each other? Isn't that an oxymoron? Believe it or not, back in colonial times, they actually went hand in hand. Those of you who hated History in school might want to move on to some other mindless activity right now...

While the commonly known feast that took place in 1621 is often referred to as the first Thanksgiving, the colonists of Plymouth didn't begin observing it on a regular basis until several years later and even then, it was not at a set time each year. It was one of three holy days that they participated in: the Sabbath, the Day of Humiliation and Fasting, and the Day of Thanksgiving and Praise, the latter two only being held for special circumstances whenever they felt their situation warranted it. It wasn't until the 1700's that these two days settled into a cycle with Fast Day in the Spring and Thanksgiving Day in the fall and were observed on an annual basis.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared the fourth Thursday of November the official Thanksgiving Day and the original holiday set up by the colonists many years earlier was absorbed into this national celebration. And by the way, Mr. Lincoln was convinced to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday by a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale, who had spent 40 years lobbying congressmen, presidents, and newspaper editors to create this national day of thanks. (She also is the one responsible for the words to "Mary Had a Little Lamb.")

Again, I know what you're thinking...so what?? Well, besides having some great trivia you can impress your family with during this year's Thanksgiving dinner, this information made me stop and think about those early years of our country. Throughout the incredible hardships they endured, one thing remained constant--their faith in God. When things were bad, they humbled themselves and prayed. When things were good, they praised and thanked Him for his kindness. Never did they assume a "poor me" attitude or blame someone else for their plight. Their automatic reaction was to go to God, no matter what.

In the "not my fault" society we live in, this seems foreign to some and downright wrong to others. Those faithful colonists were instrumental in creating the great country we live in. Okay, so I'm not suggesting that we all fast this Thanksgiving instead of piggying out on turkey and pumpkin pie but maybe we should take a lesson from our ancestors and adopt their philosophy of humility and thanksgiving. Imagine what we could do!

What's Your Job Description?

Recently I was required to look at and evaluate my official job description and I have to be honest, it overwhelmed me somewhat. When faced with the tasks I am expected to perform, the enormity and importance of it all hit me. It's not that I don't do it all but looking at it in its entirety really made me stop and consider just how well I was doing in each of those areas. And as the significance began to build, so did my fear and insecurity. What if I dropped the ball on just one of those responsibilities? What repercussions would be felt by the teachers, students, and parents placed under my authority if I make just one decision that is not the best? What if I allow myself just once to react instead of respond? What if, what if, what if.....

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." James 1:5

What more do I need to answer those "what if" questions than this verse? Knowing that I am human and am prone to make mistakes, I realized the most important part of my job description was not even written on those school policy pages. The task I need to focus on actually has very little to do with what I get a paycheck for doing. Or maybe it has everything to do with it...

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

Nothing short of my full devotion to the Savior of my soul can guarantee my success in my job or in my life. And if there are any of my duties I simply can't afford to neglect, that would be it. The truth is that if I get that part right, everything else will fall in place. Praise the Lord that I don't have to worry about having all the right answers or making all the right decisions.

"For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding." Proverbs 2:6
AMEN!