I have recently determined my favorite time of the year. I know what you might be thinking; “Everyone’s favorite time of the year is Christmas.” Well, it’s not mine. Don’t get me wrong, I love the “why” of Christmas: God coming to earth in the form of a human being…Jesus Christ being born in Bethlehem. That’s awesome! But lately I’ve not been a big fan of the “what” of Christmas. It’s been so commercialized and contorted over the years that it doesn’t even resemble what it’s supposed to be about. And these days you can’t even say “Christmas” anymore. It has to be “Season’s Greetings” or “Happy Holidays” or anything that doesn’t include the name of Christ.

So, Thanksgiving is now officially my favorite time of the year. For one thing, you can still call it “Thanksgiving” on network television and in department stores. For another thing, you still get to see your family and friends and eat all kinds of good food and you don’t have to worry if you bought Uncle Rufus the perfect present (especially since you haven’t seen him since last Christmas).

This year at North Cross we did a series the entire month of November on being thankful. It was called “Hey, Thanks: a thankful life that others are thankful for…” We talked about “taking God for granted,” “being thankful for what you have” and that Thanksgiving is “more than a holiday,” it’s a lifestyle. This was one of the most meaningful series in my personal life as well as in the life of our church. It caused me to take a step back and really appreciate how good God really is.

So, it’s official. I love the Thanksgiving season. It’s my favorite! The weather is turning colder, the leaves are turning colors and we get to spend quality time with familiy where we can eat until our heart’s content. And for all you Christmas lovers out there…Happy Holidays! I mean, Merry Christmas!