What Kind of Day is It?

Psalm 136:1a O give thanks to the LORD
Thanksgiving Thursday.
Black Friday.
Small Business Saturday.
Cyber Monday.
Giving Tuesday.
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All but one of these are new since I grew up.  We had Thanksgivng Day and then the day after was the day all the stores surprised us with their Christmas displays.
So much has changed over the years, but yet it still stays the same.  Families look forward to getting together for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Many of my family and friends tell me Thanksgiving is their favorite holiday.  They say this is the day "nothing" is expected of them.  My question is "Really?"  So many people set expectations for this day of family.
They have forgotten it was a day set aside to give thanks.
Why do we have to have expectations on the holidays? We plan, and plan, and  plan, and then are disappointed.
We put our faith in what others should be doing in relation to what we have done for them.
Let's look at each of the above days.
Thanksgiving - giving thanks for what the LORD has given to us!
Black Friday - getting as much as we can possibly get. This has often turned into an example of the 9th and 10th Commandments' examples on greed.
Small Business Saturday - supporting those independent businesses in our community.
Cyber Monday - again, a way to get the best we can (often for our own benefit)
Giving Tuesday- Helping out others, usually a charitable organization.
Are we using the Thanksgiving season in a way that would please the LORD?
Black Friday was so named because this is the day that many businesses count on finally going into the "black" for the year.
We too have a Black Friday.  This is a day when the sky turned dark, the ground shook, the Temple curtain was torn in two from top to bottom.  This is the day that our LORD was crucified and put into the tomb.  This is the day that all seemed lost.  The followers of Christ gathered together, but they didn't do so to celebrate.  They did so in fear.  Then, like in the days when I was growing up, came the day (Sunday) of an "unveiling."  This unveiling was different.  While the stores after Thanksgiving had their windows all decorated, this unveiling had an angel telling the women, "He is not here! He is risen, just as he said!"  
Let us put our faith in the risen LORD and not be disappointed!  Let us enjoy the holiday celebrations!
Let us remember what we are celebrating as we go from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Let us remember to set the example that we want children to learn from.
Let us remember the baby in the manger that lived His life for us.
Let us live our lives for Him
Let us read Psalm 136, where each verse ends, "His love endures forever."

(C) vjhelmling