“Giving … Thanks … Giving”

First Congregational United Church of Christ

November 21, 2010

The Rev. Sharyl B. Peterson

Scripture Readings:  Psalm 100; 1 Chronicles 29: 10-16; Ephesians 5: 15-20

Last week, I attended a Weight Watchers’ meeting, and our group leader began the meeting by asking what I thought was a fairly simple question:  “So, why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?”  It surprised me that there was a fairly long pause in the room, and then one person tentatively said, “so we can be with our families?”  Someone else said, “to remember the Pilgrims?”  Even more tentatively, another person asked, “to be grateful for what we have?”  And another one laughed and said, “It’s the day I get to eat all the pumpkin pie I want, with real whipped cream on top, and enjoy it!

            Well, everyone laughed appreciatively, and our leader went on with the meeting.  But the incident stayed with me, because I was so utterly surprised that no-one in this large group of intelligent and thoughtful and caring people, seemed to have much sense of why on earth we observe the Thanksgiving holiday. 

            Surely, I thought, everyone knows what Thanksgiving is about!  I feel like it’s something I’ve known at least since I was in kindergarten, and our kindergarten Sunday School teacher had us each draw a picture of some kind to show God what we were thankful for.  And how many of us remember getting along to first- or second-grade, and our teacher had us make a “turkey” by tracing our hand onto a piece of paper, and then writing on each finger something we were grateful for?  I just took it for granted that everybody knows what Thanksgiving is about!

            In fact, I realized that I so take the meaning of this holiday for granted that I was tempted, this morning, to preach the world’s shortest sermon.  It goes something like this: 

            “’Okay, how many of you woke up this morning?’           ‘And how many of you had breakfast (if you wanted it)?’  ‘And how many of you have at least one person in your life who loves you?’ 

Friends, every one of us who can answer “yes” to those three questions has it all.  So thank God for all your blessings.  Amen.”

            And then, as I thought about it some more, I realized that maybe the meaning of this holiday isn’t all that obvious, even to those of us who’ve been on this earth for awhile, and who have celebrated a fair number of Thanksgivings.  So I thought it might be worthwhile to reflect on that together this morning. 

 

            Is Thanksgiving just about remembering all those quaint folks (who, I’ll remind you, are our UCC ancestors in the faith) with the big black hats, and buckles on their shoes?  Is it just about eating all the pumpkin pie – or turkey – or stuffing – that we can possibly eat without getting sick?  What does it mean, especially for us who consider ourselves people of faith, that we set aside just one day a year to intentionally thank God for our blessings, (although I suspect, in reality, very few of us only do this one day a year).  Particularly if we really believe – as Psalm 136, which we’ve just prayed together, and as do any number of other Psalms and Bible readings – tells us – in God’s goodness, and that God’s goodness endures forever?  And how do we respond to some of the questions that appear this time of year in letters to the editor in the newspaper, like “how can “good Christians/people who believe in Jesus /people of faith” possibly celebrate on this day when so many other people in the world are going hungry?”  Shouldn’t “you people” be doing something to help them instead of stuffing your faces that day?

 

            What are our answers to questions like those?  And how might we (in addition to enjoying the day with good food and with family or friends) truly celebrate the upcoming holiday in a faithful way?

 

            While I don’t know what your answers are to all those tough questions, I do know what I think is a possible answer to that last question:  how might we (in addition to enjoying the day with good food and with family or friends) really celebrate Thanksgiving this year in a faithful way?  And my suggestion begins with this:  instead of only putting on our extra-roomy, stretch-waist-band slacks for the day; instead of only putting on our aprons and oven-mitts for the day; that we try also putting on a new attitude – a new stance – a new way of being in the world – and not just for the day, but for the coming year.  (After all, as Christians, next Sunday – the first Sunday in Advent – begins the new church year.  So isn’t this a perfect time to think about how we might want to move into that new year?)

 

            Now, I may be “preaching to the choir,” as it were, and perhaps all of you are already doing what I’m going to suggest, but I think there’s a lot of evidence that shows most of us are not doing these things, despite our best intentions.  Because what I want to suggest is that, not just on this coming Thursday, but on every single day that we are able to arise from our beds, and to breathe in the new day, and to put on warm bathrobes or soft fleecy clothes and comfortable slippers, and then to go have a warm and nourishing breakfast, and then perhaps spend some time during the day with someone we care about, that we put on – from top to bottom, from inside to outside – an attitude of gratitude.  And that we – as people of faith – manage to move beyond letting that “attitude of gratitude” simply be a cliché that we speak – and instead, intentionally reflect it every day the lives that we live. 

   

            And the first step, I believe, in making it a reality in our lives, is beginning to really pay attention to what is going on at any given moment in our lives.  And this, friends, if you’ve been sitting there thinking, heck, I already do all this stuff, so I really don’t need to listen to the rest of this sermon, is where I want to challenge all of us.  Because there is a ton of both scientific – and spiritual – data that makes it pretty clear that most of us very seldom pay full attention to anything, or to anyone.

 

            For example, almost every morning, Bob goes out and feeds our horses while I feed our dog, and fix our breakfast.  We usually have hot cereal, like oatmeal, with fruit that we’ve dried or frozen the summer before, and some of the fabulous Fair Trade French Roast coffee that our Women’s Fellowship sells (and yes, that’s a shameless plug; they’ll be selling it today during Coffee Hour). 

 

            And I put a spoonful of delicious oatmeal and fruit in my mouth, and just as I’m starting to chew it, I start thinking about:  Hmmm, I really need to check on so-and-so at the hospital before I go to the church; and, hmmm, I wonder what we’ll have for dinner tonight, and whether we should get something out of the freezer; and, oh, darn it, I forgot to call so-and-so yesterday; I better remember to do that first thing when I get to the office.  And then I pick up my coffee-cup, and just as I’m taking my first swallow of the day of this utterly ambrosial beverage, I start thinking about: gee, I really need to call the horse-dentist and schedule Bella’s and Red Hawks’ annual cleaning; and, oh yes, Bob and I need to talk about whether we’re still going to the Holiday Sale at the Art Center tonight; and, argh, I wonder when I’m going to have time to make the cookies I promised to bake for the upcoming CEC fund-raiser; and … well, you get the picture. 

 

            And I’d bet dollars to doughnuts that every single one of you sitting here knows exactly what I’m talking about – because you do it, too. 

            Instead of actually noticing our oatmeal … or coffee … or whatever we’re eating … instead of enjoying the smell, and the texture, and the delicious taste as we swallow it … we’re doing 15 other things in our head.  Instead of actually listening to that person who is sitting across the table from us, and enjoying the fact that we’re together, and are lucky enough to have good food to eat … we’re planning our day, or making a mental grocery-list, or doing something else.  We are someplace else.  We are not paying attention to what or to whom is before us at the moment.  And since we do this many, many times a day, it means that many, many times a day we completely miss many of the blessings that God has given us. 

 

            And friends, that’s a shame at so many levels! 

 

            My guess is that this isn’t a completely new problem.  In fact, a few minutes ago, when we heard part of Paul’s letter to the folks in the church at Ephesus, we hear him preaching the very same message:   “Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise (people) …(Stop … pay attention … notice what’s going on around you) … be filled with the Spirit (be happy; enjoy!), as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (as you realize how lucky you are, and how many good things fill your life, and that they come from the God who loves us)!   

 

            And Paul – and the Gospel-writers – and in fact, our Jewish forebears in faith in the Old Testament – go a step farther.  In addition to our call to really pay attention … and to say that we’re grateful to God … real thankfulness means that we’re also called to give part of what we have to others.  The cycle – of giving … thanks … giving – isn’t complete until we do that.

 

And I’m guessing most of us, in our heart of hearts, knows that already.  Because it’s kind of like when we bake a pie, or a particularly good batch of cookies.  As soon as it’s out of the oven, and smelling fantastic, we want to run out the door, and share it with someone else!  It’s a little like doing a really good piece of scientific research.  And as soon as it’s published, and we’re really excited about the new idea we’ve developed, we want to run out the (at least metaphorical) door, and share it with someone else! 

 

            It’s like learning to make a soap-box derby car from your Dad, and wanting to teach your son or daughter how to make one too.  Or like learning how to stack hay properly (if you grew up in a hay-farming area); or learning how to knit; or learning how to paint or draw or make collage; or learning how to cook; or so many other things … and we want to share those gifts of learning and joy we’ve received with other people!

 

            It’s precisely what today’s sermon-title is all about, a title that came from our church’s leadership retreat a couple of months ago.  That Saturday, we were talking about things like “stewardship” … and “church budgets” … and all those other things that make people squirmy and uncomfortable this time of year.  And someone in the leadership group said, “let’s not talk about ‘stewardship’ any more, because that just sets off alarms for a lot of people; and it sounds so impersonal, somehow … instead, let’s call it ‘Giving … Thanks … Giving.” 

 

            That reminds us that God gives – to us.  And that we’re called to thank God for those gifts.  And that part of the “thanking” process is giving part of what we have to others.  Giving … thanks … giving.

 

            That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving (or stewardship season), by enjoying as much turkey or pumpkin-pie as we want to.  In fact, I can’t wait to gather at the church on Thursday with everyone who’s signed up for our “church family Thanksgiving dinner”!  It does mean that as people of faith, part of our celebration this year … and every year on Thanksgiving day … and every day … should also involve paying attention … being aware of all that God has given us … all that we have to be grateful for … and it means that part of our celebration involves sharing part of what we have with other people. 

 

            Maybe it means that before this Thursday, we take a turkey       to the Salvation Army, or one of the other places that is collecting turkeys, so another family can enjoy a Thanksgiving meal too.  Maybe it means inviting someone to join you for Thanksgiving day – even if you’re not planning on fixing a turkey and all the trimmings, and simply have some good bread and peanut-butter you want to share – someone who would otherwise be alone.  Maybe it means something else altogether … but if you’ll pay attention to that “Spirit” that Paul was talking about, if you pay attention to how and where God is in your life, you’ll know what to do. 

 

            And because those of you whom I know well who are sitting here this morning are already generous people, you not only know what I’m talking about, but you also know the good feelings you feel, and the good things you experience, when you are generous with others.  You know that giving … thanks … giving … deepens our own gratitude that we have so much, we can share part of it with those who have so much less. 

 

And plainly and simply, it feels good.  It feels good to live out that ancient call of our faith, that call of our God, that call of Jesus, that urging of the Holy Spirit, to love … to serve … to give to one another, and so to love … and serve … and give to … our Christ. 

 

            May this Thanksgiving day be a day of joy for all of us.  May it be a day in which we pay attention to all the kinds of goodness that are in our lives.  And may it be a day – and the beginning of a new season – in which we thank our God, with our voices … with our songs … with our prayers … and with our generous giving to others.  Amen.