What Peppermint Patty Teaches Us About Thankfulness

TCDCHBR EC009I love all the old Charlie Brown cartoons, and in the Thanksgiving episode, we are reminded of the importance of approaching Thanksgiving with our hearts, and not just with our words. And Peppermint Patty herself shows us what TO DO, and what NOT TO DO, during this special holiday.

You see, Peppermint Patti, upon sitting down at their Thanksgiving meal, brought up the subject of prayer, or saying grace, before they began eating. Her reason for praying was because “its thanksgiving, you know.”  In other words, “we are supposed to be thankful on Thanksgiving, so let’s say a prayer of thanks.”  She had head knowledge of thankfulness, but not heart knowledge.

Here is a little clip of Peppermint Patti initiating the prayer, and the meaningful prayer of Linus that followed:

(email subscribers: click here if you do not see the video) 

This clip above is an example of what TO DO: Pray and give thanks for everything.

Saying ‘grace’ before we eat is something we should all do, not only at Thanksgiving, but every meal of every day of every year. But even at Thanksgiving – the one official day of the year for giving thanks to God – we can easily dive into the holiday and all the yummy food, and forget to give thanks to the One who provided all that we enjoy.

Although Peppermint Patti gets a gold star for initiating the call to prayer, her actions that followed left a lot to be desired. Take a look at this quick clip, proving that Patti’s heart was not in line with her words:

(email subscribers: click here if you do not see the video)

This is obviously an example of what NOT TO DO: Pray because you think it is expected, but then forget to actually show thankfulness in your actions.

Based on Patti’s behavior, it appears that although her mind thought praying was the “right” thing to do, her heart did not embrace true thankfulness, which resulted in her not acting the “right” way towards others.

You see, when her expectations of the holiday did not match up with her reality, Patti got upset. She got irritated. She began to verbally express her dissatisfaction. She was annoyed at the guest (Snoopy) at her table. She was agitated the food did not meet her traditional requirements. She complained and yelled and nearly ruined everyone else’s meal with her grumpiness.

She quickly forgot all about the prayer of thankfulness as she focused on her surroundings and her perceived shortcomings in their celebration. Her mind was distracted from prayer and thanksgiving, whem she became focused on people and circumstances.

Unfortunately this scene is all too familiar in households across the country. We want Thanksgiving to look like glamorized holiday commercials, but our reality may not match up to our expectation. Been there, done that. Maybe you have too.

But the truth is, it is rare that families sit down at the Thanksgiving dinner table…..with perfect white tablecloths, exquisite China and matching lacy napkins…..glistening, brown turkeys that are perfectly cooked…. twelve elegant side dishes… and a buffet of desserts that look like Paula Deen stopped by.

Rarely do families get through Thanksgiving dinner…..with children who exhibit pristine manners…. with babies who do not cry or pick inopportune times for  dirty diapers… with siblings who don’t argue… with spouses who don’t quarrel…. without any conflict… with drinks that are not spilled….with extended family who actually agree on which ballgame to watch or when to cut the pumpkin pie… with perfection in every way.

When emotions are high and expectations are unmet, we can immediately morph into a Peppermint Patti if we are not careful – a person who gives thanks with their mouths, but not with their hearts and actions.

I want to leave you with two challenges as you wake up on Thanksgiving morning this year:

(1) Commit to prayer. Not just before you eat, but all day long, thanking God for all the things you are blessed with, big and small. Take nothing for granted and pray from the heart.

(2) Commit to carry that mindset of prayer thoughout the day as your foundation for unshakable gratitude.

When the day does not go exactly as desired, focus on exhibiting a heart of love, in all situations — even if popcorn is the main side dish. Smiles.

 

Headshot Flipped 2

Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

Living-Unbroken-3DwithShadow

Available Now!

Subscribe to Tracie’s Blog

Receive the Living Unbroken Battle Plan Workbook for free if you subscribe to Tracie’s blog today!
Something went wrong. Please check your entries and try again.

Tracie's Books