Noticing the Mistakes - Thanksgiving Talk

Noticing the Mistakes; or Noticing What Is Good.

Thanksgiving Festival Service

 Nov 23 2014

Rev. Alison Longstaff

Bath Church of the New Jerusalem

Jeremiah 33: 6b-11, Matthew 9:35-38, Heavenly Secrets 6478

This was a festival service so we had a longer children's talk, extra hymns, and no sermon.  I have included the opening prayers and the closing blessing, along with the children's talk.

Opening Prayer

Bountiful Creator, we come to you from many walks of life; we come on this Thanksgiving Sunday with full hearts.  Some hearts are full of gratitude.  Some hearts may be full of care and concern for troubles in the world and in their families. Lord, You love us and understand us no matter where we are today.  You know that some days and some times, we struggle to feel thankful.  Sometimes we struggle to trust that You are providing.  Sometimes we struggle to see how You are anywhere present in the things going on in our lives.  We may be worried about money, or our health, or the health and well-being of someone we love.  Perhaps a relationship isn't going well, or we have neighbors that are giving us a hard time. 

Lord, just for this hour, we lay all these worries in Your capable hands.  And we ask that you open our eyes to see the ways you are showing up with love and care, though acts of kindness, words of love, and small miracles that answer prayers.  Help us to look for these signs, Lord, that we may be reminded of your love, and rest easier.

The Talk to the Children

I will have a mark on my face or in my teeth, or lint on my clothes, and sit down among the kids to wait for their reaction.  I will ask them how they are, and what day we are celebrating, and are there things they are thankful for? 

I will ask, “Don’t I look beautiful today?” 

(The funny thing is.  They said, "Yes."  No comment on the lint or smudge.  I had to really dig to get them to mention and find the flaws!  Too funny.  "The best laid plans..." as they say.)

After they tell me about the mark on my face or clothes or teeth, we will talk about how, even though all the rest of me looked pretty good, the one blemish drew all the attention.  We will talk about how that human dynamic shows up in our lives.  I will ask for examples of when maybe everything was good except for one small thing in their lives, and yet somehow they could only see the small thing that was wrong, like noticing one piece of lint on a beautiful sweater.

Then we will look around the church, and I will notice and point out all the things that are “wrong”, like the cracks in the walls, and the old, crooked rug, and the shutters that won’t hang flat and the pews that need painting, the weird quote that kinda doesn't make sense.  Then I will check how we all feel.

(They felt kinda down.)

Then we will look around the church and see the things that make us happy—the beautiful arched ceiling; the big windows; the wonderful light.  The smiling faces of love.  Then I will check how we feel.  

(They felt much happier.)

I will talk about how what we focus on and pay attention to affects how we feel. That we are created to notice what is wrong so we survive, and yet often that instinct isn't needed and just makes problems and can make us feel bad.  But we have the ability to learn to override that instinct and develop “an attitude of gratitude” which helps us be happy and loving and not quite so focused on what is wrong.

So practicing Thanksgiving actually makes us happier.  And letting gratitude make us happier helps us notice more things that are going well. It is a positive cycle.

Then I will give them all Hershey’s kisses representing God’s love from the sparkly bag that represents God’s love.  And we will take one moment to be thankful.

After a musical interlude, the children did a presentation with their Sunday School teacher on the 7 days of creation, and how they are a metaphor for our own spiritual development.  And then they filled paper heart pockets with colorful paper leaves, each representing things for which they are grateful.

Closing Prayer

We have gathered in the spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving.  We have looked at the ways we are naturally designed to notice flaws, and how we can practice looking for the good.  We have considered how there is always something to be grateful for, and that by focusing on the positive things, we can change the color of our glasses from darker to brighter.  May we be comforted in the knowledge God’s love is always present, and that God’s forgiveness is broader than any human can imagine, and that no matter what the physical facts of our life may be, our spirits are guided and cared for with great tenderness.   May we now go forward into our week encouraged by this message and ready for the week ahead.  

Amen

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

The Readings

Jeremiah 33: 6b-11

I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.' "This is what the LORD says: 'You say about this place, "It is a desolate waste, without humans or animals." Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted, inhabited by neither humans nor animals, there will be heard once more the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD, saying, "Give thanks to the LORD Almighty, for the LORD is good; his love endures forever." For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were before,' says the LORD. 

Matthew 9:35-38

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field."

From the teachings of the church

Heavenly Secrets 6479 by Emanuel Swedenborg Paraphrase.  Some not so upright people who were with me were constantly expressing doubts that were based on the illusions of the senses, and which went against any idea that God Provides all things.  I told them that doubts cannot easily be removed with people who have a negative frame of mind, that is, who are infected through and through by a negative attitude; for with these people one small difficulty carries more weight than a thousand proofs.  But people who have an affirmative frame of mind, that is, who are ruled through and through by an affirmative attitude, overlook small difficulties; and don’t allow challenges to overthrow their positive attitude.

However the people mentioned above paid little attention to what I was saying because of their negative frame of mind.  (That last sentence made everyone smile.)