Thanksgiving comes before Christmas!

It is amazing how immediately following Halloween, one can go to the store and the christmas trees are already up...like on November 1st? Don't take me wrong, we all love Christmas.  But what happened to Thanksgiving? I wonder if the root of this is that, as a culture, we have forgotten to give thanks.

We can blame the media and the culture we live, but the change must begin in our homes. I remember a phrase my mom used to use, "Have an attitude of gratitude."  Unfortunately, the attitude in the Cutshaw home has been anything but grateful lately.  Of course we are appreciative to God for the things He gives us, but we had been magnifying what we did not have more than what we did.

We know that God called us to travel and minister as a famliy through music.  Yet, when things slowed down this last month or so and the bills were due, we began to question whether this had been the path He wanted us on.  We began to make our own plans and every time we tried, they would fail.  In fact, this Thanksgiving we fought depression and anxiety like never before.  One particular night a week or so ago, God gave us an idea to help suppliment our income.  Immediately my body went into a panic attack.  I called my mom and she and her friends begin to pray.  She felt God wanted to remind us that "Thanksgiving comes before Christmas."

Two days ago, God took me back to a verse I have read my entire life. 

Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

 I have always focused on the "future and a hope" part of that verse.  This time, He highlighted "the plans I have for you."  We were asking God to bless our plans instead of keeping our eyes on His plans for us.

I realized this and we began to give thanks.  We began to remember how someone paid our bills last month.  I began to reflect on how I had asked God specifically for a christmas tree (ours had broke last year) and someone showed up with one the very next day. I recalled just last week when we bumped into friends at the grocery store who had come for the purpose of buying a card for us.  They filled it will enough money to pay the bills that were due.  Just yesterday, I talked with my sister-in-law about how God was challenging me to be thankful...to magnify what He was doing more than what was not happening.

Last night, we were blessed in a way we have never been blessed before.  Some friends showed up and showered us with gifts, money, food and a car!  Yes...a mini-van (a specific prayer of mine several months ago).  Not only did they shower us with gifts, but encouragement that we were on the right path and prayers and a letter that meant more to us than they will ever know.

We had Christmas.  We would have been thankful for the presents a few weeks ago.  But because of His grace and unconditional love, we were able to truly re-celebrate Thanksgiving.  The feeling of being stuffed full as you take that afternoon nap on turkey day, lingers this morning. Tears continue to fill our eyes. Our God is faithful.
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Several years ago, Travis wrote a song that he finished and recorded last night. It is a song of our thankfulness to God for all He has done.  I felt like it fit well with this blog.  I hope you enjoy, for this is a "Sacred Simple Christmas Day."  Click the link below to hear the song.


http://soundcloud.com/traviscutshaw/sacred-simple-christmas-demo