Giving thanks

I am sitting in a house in New Jersey. I have spent the day grocery shopping and baking with various family members in preparation for tomorrow. Now the delicious smell of pie baking is wafting out of the kitchen and the house feels cozy and warm as the day darkens outside.
Thanksgiving is my favorite American holiday. I love the traditions of family, food, and fun that surround the holiday with out the pressure of giving gifts. I love the fall colors and the food that evokes the season (pumpkin, cranberries, squash). What I like most about Thanksgiving is the opportunity it gives us to pause after a busy summer and before a busy Christmas season to consider the blessings we have. With the emphasis on having a thankful heart the focus is on enjoying the simple pleasures of the day and not on gift giving and receiving. For me, the anticipation and preparation for Thanksgiving Day are a reminder to pause and consider all that I have to be thankful for.
The truth is that I have been blessed more richly than I deserve. I have salvation from sin and no fear of death. I have a husband who loves me patiently and selflessly. I have two beautiful boys who make every day an adventure. I have the love of extended family. I have more material wealth and possession than most people in the world.
When I spend a week in reflection of God's goodness to me I am often shamed by the selfishness that lurks in my heart. I have been richly blessed and yet there are many days when my heart feels discontent and dissatisfaction. The week of Thanksgiving reminds me that I am most content when I tune out the noise of the world around me (the world which is constantly trying to tell me that my worth comes from the things I have) and focus on the goodness of my God.