Christian Living

---

Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday November 22, 2011

In my younger days the football game of the year was always on Thanksgiving morning. Our team always played William Penn, a school ten times our enrollment and most every year we were the turkey rather than the Pilgrims. My mother and stepfather never saw me play any sport during those years. If my stepfather had showed up he would have been so full of Old Grand Dad that he wouldn't have seen anything anyway.

I had thought for the last few years that I would come out of retirement and play professional football and for most of the years that simply was not possible. I am giving this option serious thought for next fall and the Colts. I will be seventy one, but from the looks of things I just may have a decent day on try outs. Not as crazy as you might think as a seventy one year old full of spirit and enthusiasm just might outplay someone much younger, but trying to play in a totally demoralized state.

I try to pass the above off as humor, but deep down…

Erma Bombeck understood the love that football fans have for the game and awe for a good game on Thanksgiving Day. She wrote, "Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence." A wise girl.

Along the way I have observed that most of our holidays are more focused on some activity all of which ends or begins with long lines of rabid shoppers and or sports. Contemplation on anything except cheerleaders or bargain prices is out of the question.

Yet the idea of a day set aside to contemplate seriously on God’s goodness to us is the reason for the season, to borrow from another now goofy day. That this has been a part of the deterioration of numerous cultures is mention by Paul in Romans 1:21 "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Christians were warned against falling into this trap in Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

The canvas of Western Civilization is swiftly being painted in a greedy hue thus the tender hues of giving thanks is paling into obscurity. Gazing on the passing scene it is encouraging to let the statement of a man who looked forward to the first advent of Christ while he served his country and conscience. The outstanding Roman patriot Cicero said, "A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues."

To be truly thankful demands the mental and spiritual power to focus on what you have rather than moping over what you may lack. All of this is easy for me to say.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2011 Use with credit.

---

PLEASE ENCOURAGE AUTHOR BELOW LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE