And I Love The Bitterness- Thanksgiving Thoughts

Thanksgiving.  Turkey day.  Day of national pride and honor, day of being thankful for all the blessings, thankful for all things bright and beautiful.  Yes, it is that time of year again.  To be honost  I do like this particular holiday.  I love the food- though I must admit I would rather see beef briscuit on the table than turkey.  Or a hamburger...  mmm yes, piled high with lettuce, tomatoe, onion, mushroom, jalapeno...  Can't go wrong anytime you serve that...  But food aside, it is nice to have a day set aside to thank God for all blessings great and small.

All month I have been watching and listening as people count down the days to this most sacred of holidays, recalling what is precious to them.  I have seen people move about, expressing thanks from their lips for everything from children to spouses, parents to siblings, houses, jobs and cars, and oh the list carries on...  But there has been one thing suspicously absent from all.  Well, several things actually, but for sake of easy reading and easier typing, I shall sum all of it up in one word: bitterness.

Allow me to explain what I am meaning, before I am cast off as a heathen and a hater.  Let me start off with something simple.  Joy.  True joy.  I assume that we have all felt it, some level of it anyway.  But can you truly and fully appreciate joy- without knowing sorrow?  What about gain- we all have gained something we appreciate, yes?  But what level of happiness does gain bring unless we have also experienced loss?  Do we understand freedom without slavery, or liberty without tyranny?  Can there be a winner without a loser?  Is it not true that everyone is a friend, and thus friendships are devalued, unless we have dealt with enemies?   Can we know the depths of love, can we understand it's impact on our lives without also having experienced hate?   

And speaking of love- would we ever, even just once, experience the healing power it holds- if we are never broken?

My friends- can we know just how sweet life is without knowing life's bitterness?

The reality is, without bitterness, the rest of life would blend together.  It would be one endless blah, with every emotion the same as the next, our senses dulled, and we would be left with the inability to comprehend the very emotions we crave.  Love, joy, peace, all would be as common to us as a glass of water or a handful of dirt.  I dare say, that without bitterness, we would still be broken, lost souls in need of a Savior- but never understanding why.  I don't think I would ever want to be in that state of mind...

So while it is true, this great turkey day I will be thanking God for all He has done for me, I will be grateful for the love, joy, peace, happiness... 

But I will also take a moment and thank God for the bitterness...  because what would life be without it?

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone- and may God bless you in all things bright and beautiful- and may He bless you in the bitterness!