Remember the Purpose

I woke early that chilly, November morning, careful not to wake the kiddos as I passed their rooms. Quietly, I basted and placed the turkey into the oven for the meal we would enjoy hours later. I sat down in the quiet to read my Bible as it rested on my very pregnant belly, and I wondered how this Thanksgiving could possibly be special.

Memories of family and friends gathered around the table during past years haunted me in both a beautiful and uneasy way. Thanksgiving, I thought, was a big event full of traditions surrounding food, games, and cute, fall outfits.

Instead, we were ministering in a new town where everyone in our church seemed to be celebrating with family and friends. The big dreams of being the perfect pastor’s wife and hosting those with no place to celebrate had crumbled as everyone had a place but us. Our closest family was nine hours away, and it was impossible for us to travel as I was two weeks from giving birth to our fifth child. In my estimation, this holiday was going to be a crummy one.

Soon, my pajama-clad kids began waking up, wiping the sleep from their eyes, and eagerly looking forward to this holiday of Thanksgiving. However, that did little for my mood, and I continued to enjoy a self-proclaimed pity-party, bemoaning the fact that any traditions we had that day wouldn’t be remembered by my children anyway, so why should I put forth the effort. My dear husband came in to find me in tears and, being the loving yet practical man he is, pointed out that the problem was not the lack of tradition but the lack of perspective.

Tradition is a beautiful, God-given part of the human experience. It is with us daily, driving much of what we do, creating memories, and forming an order to our lives. Yet, traditions done without purpose can leave us empty, especially when they fail to happen.

The Thanksgiving tradition within the Christian faith has become one of remembrance of the wondrous things that God has done (1 Chron. 16:12). Christians have, in recent years, celebrated this through traditions such as Thanksgiving trees, round table blessings, and patriarchal prayer. The problem comes when we place these traditions in front of the purposes, giving them an empty priority.

That morning I had forgotten the purposes behind all those memories of tradition. I was grieving because they weren’t happening, yet the main purposes for our Thanksgiving were still a reality. Once I remembered the reality correctly, I was able to see how my family (even with no one else to celebrate with) could celebrate Thanksgiving well. My children might not remember all the traditions, but they could understand the love we showed to one another, the thankfulness we gave to God, and the joy we carried because of His goodness.

We would celebrate the traditions that we could because of the desire to teach our children the purpose of Thanksgiving.

I got up from the couch that morning to prepare the rest of the meal with a different perspective. It wasn’t about my traditions but about how those traditions showed the unchanging reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15). Looking back, it became one of the best (and most relaxing) Thanksgivings our family has experienced.

Remember the wondrous works that He has done! (1 Chron. 16:12a, ESV)

Part 1 of Thanksgiving Series
– Part 2 {A Thanksgiving Table}
– Part 3 {A Thanksgiving Brunch}