Thanks vs Thanksgiving.

Happy Everyday! I know inside you are thinking, "doesn't he mean Happy Thanksgiving?" Well, Yes and No-ish. See I believe that giving thanks should be an every day practice and whether you realize it or not, it is pretty much. Do you say prayers at night thanking God for the gifts in your life, do you see a cop as you're driving and say "thank you" internally when he doesn't pull you over, do you walk through a door that someone else held open and say "thanks buddy, my hands were full"?  If you do then you pretty much have Thanksgiving everyday. Although we give thanks to God alot: prayers at night, at dinner and when you score a touchdown and do a Tebow, it is not thanks giving, that is prayer. When I say Thanksgiving needs to be an every day practice, I mean that we recognize the things we are thankful for on this holiday, EVERYDAY. Tell your wife that you are thankful for her and everything she does for you or the family, even if you are in love or separated.  Let your parents know your are grateful for your upbringing, even if it was challenging, because it made you the person you are today. Pull your employees aside and thank them for their loyalty in hard times and remind them they are an asset to the company. You have many opportunities to give thanks, if you just realize it and challenge yourself to do so. 
I know this holiday can be clouded by last minute rush orders, squeezing 5 days of work into 3 days, traveling, turkey, family arguments and Christmas shopping. This is a crazy time of year - It is like no other. You are happy, overwhelmed and your house is filled with great food and even though it is a holiday, you want nothing more for it to be over and gone, especially the can-shaped cranberry sauce. But, if you don't take a step back and realize that everything you experience during this holiday is an opportunity, then you are missing out on what it important. This isn't a time where we give thanks, it is a time of year where we don't give thanks enough. See life can be full of great challenges, but as long as you gain from every facet of life (good and bad) then you have no excuse to not be grateful and give thanks...an go ahead sneak a little bite of that cranberry stuff and remember why it is you don't eat it...until next year. God bless and thank you!