I remember as a kid, a special treat every year was watching A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. This animated TV special told the story of Charlie Brown kind of getting stuck preparing a Thanksgiving meal for all his friends. He was lucky to have the help of his trusty sidekick snoopy to pull off a meal of toast, popcorn, pretzels and jelly beans. Poor Charlie’s friends are less than impressed with his efforts. Grandma saves the day when she invites all of Charlie Brown’s friends to attend Thanksgiving dinner at her condo! The thing about this special treat of entertainment was, you had one chance to enjoy it! If you had too much homework or were otherwise occupied you just missed the show.

In today’s world we don’t face this dilemma any longer. We have thousands and thousands of shows at our fingertips any time and any place. If you decide you want to watch a holiday film, you not only have to decide which movie you want to enjoy, you must determine if you want to watch it via Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon, Hulu, Roku, YouTube or any number of other streaming services. It is literally dozens of choices for one movie. In fact some experts believe we have too many choices. "The standard line is that choice is good for us, that it confers on us freedom, personal responsibility, self-determination, autonomy and lots of other things that don't help when you're standing before a towering aisle of water bottles, paralyzed and increasingly dehydrated, unable to choose." Stuart goes on to say, "Increased choice, then, can make us miserable because of regret, self-blame and opportunity costs. Worse, increased choice has created a new problem: the escalation in expectations."

Maybe this month we ought to slow down, put aside the devices, turn off the TV and just spend some time with our Creator, thanking Him for how He has cared for us. Maybe we ought to do away with some of those entertainment choices. What would happen if you cancelled one or seven of those streaming subscriptions and gave that money to God’s work instead? 

This year Wallula will be hosting an all church Thanksgiving feast, A Taste of Thanksgiving. On Sunday evening, November 24 we will gather together to remember how God has blessed us. He has given us a church family, He has provided us with a mission and a purpose, He has provided for us over and over and He deserves our thanks! Please make plans to join us as we celebrate and give thanks together. You can register on the church center app and let us know what dessert or side you would like to bring to share (you can even bring pretzels or jellybeans!). I look forward to seeing you at A Taste of Thanksgiving later this month!

Because of Him,

Lance

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

        - 1 Thessalonians 5:18