November 2017 Pastor's Letter

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. - Colossians 3:15 NRSV

Sunday night I watched one of the first made-for-television Hallmark movies of the Christmas season. Yes, I know it isn't even November yet. Yes, I know I'll be tired of the sweet, sappy songs and stories of re-discovered Christmas warmth and good wishes before Thanksgiving. And in all the rush toward Christmas, Thanksgiving - the holiday and the attitude - will be overlooked. But, what can we do? This is our cultural habit. There's no fighting it; no changing it. Or is there?

In Paul's letter to the Colossians he gave them a barrage of instructions in chapter three about how to express the reality of Christ's presence in their lives: love each other, avoid slander, idle talk and abusive language, don't get angry, set their minds on things above, be compassionate and kind, remember their calling in Christ, etc. In the middle of this litany of actions he drops the little phrase, "And be thankful." Those three words are like a fulcrum on which these instructions pivot. Be thankful that they have someone to love and someone(s) who love them. Be thankful that they can pepper their conversations with the good news of the gospel. Be thankful that they can voice their anger to God and let Him deal with it. Be thankful that no matter what the world thinks of them, God has called them His own in Christ. Be thankful for the future and the hope they have in Christ.

Psychologists Dr. Robert A. Emmons and Dr. Michael E. McCullough have done a lot of research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics. One group wrote about things they were thankful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. (Harvard Mental Health Letter, "In Praise of Gratitude" November 2011)

So here's my suggestion for being counter-cultural this holiday season. Let's try being thankful for each day, for each other, for each opportunity we have to share our lives. Let's make November a month full of "thank yous" in our prayers and in our moments of stress. Make a list of your blessings. Imitate the practice of the "secret Santa" and send a card of gratitude anonymously. (Be someone's "secret turkey!") Write a check to someone's favorite charity as an expression of gratitude for their presence in your life. Do something old fashioned and tell someone -a spouse, a child, a parent, a friend - how much they mean to you and how thankful you are that they are in your life. If we add "And be thankful" to our daily routine we will be surprised at the joy it pours into our lives."

Dr. Phil