I’ve always loved Thanksgiving. It’s not a religious holiday, you don’t have any spiritual obligation, and you can do what you want – at least technically. Some people feel they have to visit family, but I don’t really have that picture. I have done many things at Thanksgiving – stay at home and invite people over, or go to someone else’s house, or go to the beach, or go on a short vacation. I had been visiting my parents at Thanksgiving for years after they retired to LA, because I didn’t know how much longer they’d be around. But I relate to Thanksgiving as very free holiday. My parents have died, so I get to be more of a free spirit again.
I love Thanksgiving because of its name – Thanks and Giving, or Giving Thanks. The concept of giving thanks is very powerful, and I like it that we have a formal day of Thanks Giving.
In Luke, 9:10-17 there is the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000. It is such a wonderful story about how powerful it is to give thanks. There were only 5 loaves and 2 fish available for 5,000 people, but he took what little food there was and gave thanks. Notice what happened – he gave thanks for what they did have.
Jesus gave thanks for what they did have.
To a rational person, obviously they had nowhere near enough for 5,000 people. But he validated that they did have. He acknowledged God. He brought that blessing very much into present time and then into their present situation with a great deal of certainty. Then what they did have multiplied many times over. There was plenty of food for everyone, with lots left over.
They had their own Thanksgiving dinner.
This holiday and that passage make us realize how little we do that. Usually we look at our circumstances – whether it be circumstances of money, job, relationship, living situation, or whatever – and we tend invalidate ourselves for being in those circumstances because we want more, or something different. We forget to validate and give thanks for what we do have.
We forget to validate and give thanks for what we do have.
Think of something in your life right now that you are forgetting to validate, and that you might be invalidating. Maybe something you constantly wish was different, or that you compare yourself to others about, or something you frequently complain about.
We forget that we create from whatever energy level we are setting. If we are constantly invalidating our money situation, for example, you can imagine what kind of energy level we are setting with which to create money. If we are constantly invalidating our job or relationship situation, you can see what kind of energy level we are setting to create those things with.
We’ve all had the experience of getting a gift or making a gift that we thought was wonderful. We were excited about it and couldn’t wait to give it to the person for which it was intended. But then that person never acknowledged or appreciated it, or didn’t thank us for it, or maybe didn’t even like it. We know how we felt – really disappointed and let down. You might even have thought: why bother giving them a gift in the future? You might try it again but if that person has the same reaction, you don’t want to keep beating your head against the wall.
I had a friend once who was having a hard time. I gave her money, time, help. There was never a “thank you” in return, or even an acknowledgment. I know I could have taken responsibility for my choices and given just because I wanted to, but I also realized that I wanted some sort of thank you – some sort of validation that something had taken place. It felt empty that my giving had been taken for granted, and I wanted to stop giving. Eventually I realized that she was unappreciative and I did stop giving.
Wouldn’t the same be true for you? You give yourself a job, a certain amount of money, or whatever – and you are unappreciative; in fact, maybe you are downright invalidating. Perhaps you never thank or acknowledge yourself. All you can think about is how you want something else. I would guess that you get pretty sick and tired of trying to give to yourself. Maybe you even stop giving, too.
On the other hand, what if you were “overflowing with thankfulness” as it says in the New Testament? What if you were overflowing with thankfulness about your money situation, and about all the things in your life that you could be thankful for?
What if you were overflowing with thankfulness?
Now say hello to that situation in your life you were looking at a few minutes ago, and let go of any invalidation, complaining, or wishing things were different. Allow yourself to validate and appreciate the situation, and acknowledge you’re learning something from it. Besides, you created it. Be thankful for what you do have in that situation.
In the story of Jesus and the fish, you can see that unless he and the disciples were very present, they could not have created all that abundance. That’s because they would not have been present to receive that abundance. By being thankful you are also bringing yourself into the present.
You are acknowledging and validating your havingness, at whatever level it is, and you are bringing in permission. You are receiving and accepting what you do have. Only through this thanksgiving and this receiving can you than create a space for more – just like Jesus with the loaves and fish. You tap into the flow of energy as it occurs when there is thankfulness.
Give thanks in all circumstances!
This Thanksgiving, see if you can set your energy according to what is says in I Thessalonians 5:16: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” Even if you are in a situation that normally you would be complaining about, or unhappy about, give thanks anyway. This way you will always stay present and are tapping into the flow of energy to allow you to create from validation.
As always, thanks for supporting Psychic Horizons & the Church of Natural Grace with your sustainable giving! It truly makes a difference, both for us and for you.
Best regards,
Rev. Laura Hopper
Originally sent November 2019
