Let’s face it, 2020 has been rough for all of us. Australian wildfires, a pandemic, a partial shutdown in most places and complete shutdown in others, a contested election, murder hornets (I’m not positive but Birdzilla may be on standby), economic collapse, just to name a few things. We lost some of the all-time greats this year: Alex Trebek, Chadwick Boseman, Sean Connery, Eddie Van Halen, Chadwick Boseman, Kenny Rogers, Chadwick Boseman, and even Chadwick Boseman (I was a big Black Panther fan- it traumatized me). I think we need to find James Earl Jones & Betty White and put them in a protective bubble.
This year has taken a toll on us physically, mentally, and emotionally. It has been a trying time to own businesses, keep a job, and stay open. It’s also been a very scary time of not only keeping yourself healthy, but doing everything you can to keep others healthy, especially vulnerable family members. This year has also seen us, as a country, draw a vicious dividing line between us. Debates rage over wearing masks and the validity of that claim. Arguments ensue over whether we need to shut down the country or open it up to prevent financial ruin. Where’s the answer to the madness? On one side, there is grave concern over the health and well being of self & family members and this concern is legitimate. Yet, on the other hand, there is equally grave concern over businesses shutting down, loss of livelihood, and general instability; and guys if I can be frank, they are both VERY legitimate concerns. Personally, I have had family and close friends have COVID with varying degrees of severity and I have an equal number of friends & family who were wrecked by the shutdown. On top of all of this, you also have a demographic of people who are under enormous mental health stress due to the overload this whole thing has caused. Many see the importance of both sides and are caught in the stressful position of knowing that we won’t move forward until the vaccine is here (which thank the good Lord seems to be close).
So, how do we redeem this stressful, broken year? Let’s shake up Thanksgiving this year. Thanksgiving is a holiday that I haven’t particularly cared for over the years; and its more than just my utter disdain for turkey (I just lost half of my readers with that statement). But, honestly, think about it. Why do we have a holiday to highlight thankfulness- shouldn’t that be EVERY day, or have we gotten to the point where we expect things? Even the day that we have set aside to honor being thankful is no longer about being thankful. I sincerely doubt many people are anxiously waiting for next Thursday to come so they can call and text all the impactful people in their lives and tell them how grateful they for all these people have done and how thankful they are for these people in their life. It’s just not on our radar anymore. Now, Thanksgiving is about Food, Football, and Black Friday shopping. Don’t get me wrong- I love food & football, (you can keep the shopping) as much as the next person, but being thankful is far more than just saying a prayer before a huge meal.
If you want to redeem 2020 for yourself, begin by redeeming it for others. I challenge you to reach out to people who have had an impact on your life and tell them how thankful you are for them and all they have done for you. You never know when you might reverse the trajectory of someone’s life who is hanging on by a thread.
In Christ Alone,
Rev. Bro. Coach
RBC 