Each year on the fourth Thursday in November, Americans gather for a day of feasting, football and family. However that’s not the only thing thanksgiving is about; it’s more than just a day to eat and watch football.  There’s a deeper meaning behind thanks and giving.

We all get excited when this time of year comes around because football will be on and the food will be cooking and kids will be excited to be out of school for a little while. We all get so excited over the little things but don’t realize the big things. In the Bible, the meaning of thanksgiving reflected adoration, sacrifice, praise, or an offering. The word thanks means “an expression of gratitude,” and the word giving means “to present voluntarily and without compensation.”

So if you put aside the football and the food and take away what society thinks thanksgiving is about, then you can realize and notice that thanksgiving is about being with family and giving thanks for what you have. It’s about more than just material things like society would like to lead you to believe.

So on this Thanksgiving be thankful that you live in a country where you can eat all day and watch a game on the television. Be thankful for what you have and remember that not everyone gets to come home for Thanksgiving.