THANKS | 25- An American Communion

One of the wonders of the American Thanksgiving Holiday, is that it's sort of a last bastion of cultural commonality, of what Confucius called "deliberate tradition."

Think about it, of the some 300 million people in the United States, I would venture that MOST of us are doing, seeing, eating, and perhaps even thinking the same things for this one day every year.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade was broadcast on all 3 major broadcast TV networks.

How many people DON'T have at least turkey? Stuffing? Green been casserole? Pumpkin pie? That cranberry goop that goes "shloop" when you slide it out of the can?

Families play games, share memories. People think about pilgrims and Indians. Kids make paper turkeys in school. Perhaps a few people even about Lincoln's Thanksgiving proclamation.

Aside from the Super Bowl and the Rose Bowl, the Detroit and Dallas Thanksgiving "Classics" have to be the most viewed football games all year.

So I thank God that this one day, most of us are sharing something in common. And I thank Him that this is a day when most of us take a break from being greedy, selfish, impatient and unsatisfied and instead take on an attitude of gratitude.

But just imagine, if like Lincoln encouraged us, this was the one day when we all prayed and weren't just grateful or thankful, but were grateful and thankful TO somebody, to God? Someday we will, but until then, I'll be grateful for what we've got.