Drag out the cornucopia and the candied yams--it's Thanksgiving! To many, it's a holiday scrunched in there between "The Great Pumpkin" and boughs of holly, luring them to emporia small and great as they, once again, fill their shopping carts and spend a day off majoring in gastronomics.

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving? Are we forcing ourselves into grateful mode (or is that a la mode?) on this one day a year, thanks to the Pilgrims (or the Queen)? (The Pilgrims didn't even have ham or cranberry sauce. How can you celebrate without those?) Who started this holiday anyway? Was it Sir John A. MacDonald or George Washington? Do we need a Hallmarkian viewpoint to help us voice our appreciation?

No need to grab your oxygen masks. I'm not suggesting that we cross the day off our calendars. (What? And miss a chance at being able to say those wonderful words.... "We're just having left-over turkey tonight, so please get your own meal?") Here, pull up a warm fuzzy and lets reflect by the fire.

It doesn't have to be a painful affair, crammed into a busy day with a few relatives sprinkled in. It doesn't even have to be relegated to that one day a year (gasp).

If you're thankful to or for someone, then say so. Have a family council and tell them at least once a year (there-- that should take care of them for a while!). Can't think of anything to say? I'm sure you can come up with your own clever ideas, but this will get you going:

Thank your kids for. . .
--washing the dishes (they never say it to me!).
--cleaning out the garden for the fall (and all the weeds that could have been pulled every week but weren't).
--brushing their teeth without asking (they don't? --one thing to cross off your list).
--putting their shoes away (you're almost out of the neck brace you received from falling over shoes the last time--that's something to be thankful for).
--making it through the store and into the car without fighting once.

Thank your husband for. . .
--snoring (at least he's there next to you).
--putting the garbage cans away after garbage day.
--buying the groceries (doesn't yours?).
--telling you he loves you (even after living with you for all these years).
--marrying you.
--for all the little things he does that you don't even notice (and then start looking for them).

But... you splutter, these are all things they're supposed to do. Besides, I even write thank-you notes for the things people give me. Most of us find that little exercise quite distasteful. We put it off and sometimes don't ever send them. So.... you wouldn't appreciate anyone acknowledging that you pick the hair out of the drain, or refill the ice-cube trays, or -- once a month -- clean the moldy stuff out of the back of the fridge? Of course you would. Should we only thank people for the fantastically thoughtful things, or is it O.K. to show gratefulness for the mundane stuff that each family member is expected to do?

And what about the Lord? Sure, we thank Him for that surprise check in the mail, and for answering our prayer for something that we wanted, but what about things like this:

- flush toilets (they're wonderful when you're up with a sick kid in the night).
- electricity (it's much easier to get to that toilet with the sick kid if you can flip on a light).
- the ability to lie flat in bed at night -- without pain -- and go to sleep.
- the fact that one of your kids noticed if there really was enough casserole left over for you.
- another rainy day (you could be in a drought, flood, tornado, etc.).
-for all the little things He does that you don't even notice and then start looking for them.

Let's check our thank-you lists. Hopefully, they're a lot longer than our wish lists. And by the way, go ahead and have another 1/365th of that pie!