It has been a long tradition in the Examiner for Ronald Finke to write a column of Thanksgiving every year. It’s something I personally always look forward to, and perhaps many of you do as well. That’s why I was very excited to be granted the privilege of writing this year’s version for the very first time.

Before I begin, let me just say Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and has been for many years. Not just because of the food and the shopping deals, (although those are both great). I love it because it is one day when the things I am most thankful for are all together in one place.

My wife and I have celebrated Thanksgiving at our home since our kids were first born.  Every year, both sides of our family, friends, and often others who simply have nowhere else to go all gather together for a time of wonderful fellowship and love. As of right now, I expect close to 30 to be joining us at this year’s occasion.

The day reminds me of how truly blessed I am to have so many loved ones to spend time with, to have a home able to comfortably accommodate them all, and to be healthy enough to host such a large gathering without assistance.

It shames me to say this, but sometimes, in the hustle and bustle of daily living, I treat these very same blessings more like curses. Some days, I get frustrated, or annoyed by the people closest to me and I wish they could go away for a while. Occasionally, some kind of maintenance will be needed on my home, and I become tempted to sell the house and move into an apartment. Or perhaps worst of all, once in a while I find myself hoping to catch some kind of temporary illness as a way of avoiding some responsibility I have.  But on Thanksgiving I am forced to acknowledge how selfish those thoughts are, and just how much God has given me.

If you’re honest, I bet most of you reading this can relate to the attitude I am describing. Unfortunately, one of the challenges we as Americans face is a lack of recognition of how good we actually have it. Yes, your paycheck may not go as far as it used to, but it is still relatively easy to find work and earn one. Yes, there is division in this country, but it pales in comparison to the real hatred and conflicts happening in other places around the world. Even for those of you who face severe medical hardships. There is no better healthcare system in the world to face these difficulties than ours.

My challenge for each of you, and for myself this Thanksgiving is to not let the feelings of gratefulness and gratitude we have tomorrow fade away as soon as the next crisis arrives. Instead, let us “Give thanks in all circumstances” as the Apostle Paul commands in the Book of Thessalonians.

(Past performance is no guarantee of future results. The advice is general in nature and not intended for specific situations)