Thankfulness

The last couple of days I've been to several stores looking for a scarecrow for my yard. Besides an aisle or shelf of autumn items here and there I am having NO luck. Halloween happens and then "poof" it's Christmas. Now I am certainly not a Scrooge, but I am feeling rather "bahumbug" because, What happened to Thanksgiving? What happened to being thankful? In our children's eyes, we go from the Gimmie Candy Holiday to the Gimmie Toys Holiday. Not in my house!!! Andy does laugh when I won't allow even a Christmas Carol chorus, before turkey carving time, but I mean it! Besides, how can you anticipate the coming of the Greatest Gift of all time when you are not in a thankful frame of mind? Especially with the rough times so many are experiencing right now, it is SO very important to be thankful for what we DO have! Yes, I realize that technically thankfulness is not a fruit of the Spirit, but it is of the Spirit. Let's not skip over this chance to do a little "thankfulness" check.