Thanksgiving is next week. So...what do you want for thanksgiving?

No, I'm not getting confused with Christmas. I'm truly wondering what you want for Thanksgiving? Is it the food? Like most Americans you are probably salivating over the meal to come next week. You're already hungry to overstuff yourself. But you say you're thankful, and that's enough isn't it?

Nope.

Having more than you need and indulging on the over-abundance is not right. God has meant for us to live on what we need and to give away the rest to others in need. In the O.T. the people of Israel used their crops to provide for and feed their families. Then if there was a year of abundance they took the extra and gave it to the poor. In essence, they saw that when God blessed them with extra it was meant for someone else. How often do you get extra of something and think it was all just for you?

Here's a few stats to help you understand what happens when people keep their over-abundance to themselves.

- 45 million turkeys were consumed in the U.S. in 2007 = 675 million lbs. of turkey.

- In 2006 the U.S. produced1.6 billion lbs. worth of sweet potatoes.

- The average American will consume 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving day. (Average daily should be 1,800)

- Approximately 28% of the worlds children are under-nourished and underweight

- 1.4 million children die each year from lack of adequate drinking water, sanitation, or food. (www.globalissues.org)

I'm not blaming the death and mal-nourishment of children on the Thanksgiving holiday. But, we should think about what we're doing with the resources we have to stop these serious problems. With the abundance that God has given us we can give to those in need. Foolish living is to take more than you need and ignore that someone else needs it more.

As much as I love Thanksgiving it can be an irritating holiday. It can easily just become a holiday about our gluttony. The only way to make Thanksgiving meaningful is to live thankful. Balance out what you enjoy this thanksgiving by giving to someone in need. Donate your time or money to a family or charity in need.

Recently we raised money in Youth Group for a child we support in El Salvador. Thanks to the loving hearts of you students we raised almost $200 over our goal. We also collected boxes filled with Christmas presents for children in need around the world. That makes me very proud of each of you who participated. That is the kind of wise living that you and I need. Wise living gives out of what God has given you to help those who need it more.

Don't think about what you want this thanksgiving, think about what you have and how you can give it to someone who needs it more!

- Josh