Happy Thanksgiving!

For the Christian, and even for the Jew, this day is kind of unnecessary.

Seriously, those of us who claim the Biblical story as our own should not need to set aside one day of the year for giving thanks. Thankfulness ought to be the consistent emotion of our hearts, given what we believe about who God is and who we are.

The Biblical account avers that each individual is a sinner who stands (deservingly) under God's judgment. Ironically, however, the Bible also affirms the incredible reality that God Himself continuously takes the initiative in reaching out to us in reconciliation and love.

In fact, Scripture's unique message is that true religion never consists of human beings trying to take the initiative with God. True religion is always a humble response to what God already has graciously done on our behalf.

God took the initiative in creating us in His Divine image and charging us with the holy responsibility of being stewards of creation. He took the initiative in seeking us out when we fell short of His standards. He took the initiative in creating a community of people - the Jews - who were called to live out His will in the world that all nations might be blessed. And he took the initiative to dwell among us in the Person of Jesus Christ, bringing the definitive revelation of God's character and purposes, and the definitive act of redemption in the scandalous beauty of the Cross.

And what is our part in this? Simply to respond...to repent, believe, and live a life worthy of the love that God has so freely given to us. We do not come closer to God by doing anything, certainly not be taking any initiative with God.

In fact, the Bible reveals with total honesty the horrors that result when we humans come before God with a grasping ambition. We need only think of Adam and Eve going for the fruit of the tree, the building of the Tower of Babel, Abraham's attempt to "force" God to give him the heir He promised, etc... In the long run, anything we do apart from God's grace will give us little reason for thankfulness.

So enjoy today: The parades, the football, the time with family, the food, and the shopping (well, maybe not the shopping...). But in your prayers ask God to cultivate within your soul a consistent "attitude of gratitude" that transcends this national holiday. Certainly the Pilgrims - those whom we commemorate on this day - would agree with me.

Jeff's Oscars - Pre-1980

For the years prior to 1980, I'll avoid personal commentary, and just list the year's winner, noting when I disagree with the Academy's final vote.

1979 - Kramer vs. Kramer (Jeff's pick: Apocalypse Now)

1978 - The Deer Hunter

1977 - Annie Hall (Jeff's pick: Star Wars)

1976 - Rocky (Jeff's picks: All the President's Men or Network)

1975 - One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

1974 - The Godfather Part II (Chinatown is a close second!)

1973 - The Sting

1972 - The Godfather

1971 - The French Connection (Jeff's pick: Fiddler on the Roof)

1970 - Patton

1969 - Midnight Cowboy

1968 - Oliver! (Jeff's pick: 2001: A Space Odyssey or The Lion in Winter)

1967 - In the Heat of the Night (Jeff's Pick: Cool Hand Luke)

1966 - A Man for All Seasons

1965 - The Sound of Music (Jeff's Pick: Doctor Zhivago)

1964 - My Fair Lady (Jeff's Pick: Becket or Dr. Strangelove)

1963 - Tom Jones

1962 - Lawrence of Arabia (Jeff's Pick: To Kill a Mockingbird)

1961 - West Side Story (Jeff's Pick: Judgment at Nuremberg)

1960 - The Apartment

1959 - Ben-Hur

1958 - Gigi (Jeff's Pick: The Defiant Ones)

1957 - The Bridge on the River Kwai (Jeff's Pick: Witness for the Prosecution)

1956 - Around the World in Eighty Days (Jeff's Pick: Giant)

1955 - Marty

1954 - On the Waterfront

1953 - From Here to Eternity

1952 - The Greatest Show on Earth (Jeff's Pick: High Noon)

1951 - An American in Paris (Jeff's Pick: A Streetcar Named Desire or Quo Vadis)

1950 - All About Eve

1949 - All the King's Men (Jeff's Pick: Twelve O'Clock High)

1948 - Hamlet

1947 - Gentlemen's Agreement

1946 - The Best Years of Our Lives (Jeff's Pick: It's a Wonderful Life)

1945 - The Lost Weekend

1944 - Going My Way (Jeff's Pick: Double Indemnity)

1943 - Casablanca

1942 - Mrs. Miniver (Jeff's Pick: Yankee Doodle Dandy)

1941 - How Green Was My Valley (Jeff's Pick: Citizen Kane or The Maltese Falcon)

1940 - Rebecca (Jeff's Pick: The Great Dictator or The Philadelphia Story)

1939 - Gone With the Wind

1938 - You Can't Take It With You (Jeff's Pick: Boys Town)

1937 - The Life of Emile Zola (Jeff's Pick: The Good Earth)

And that's about as far back as I go, except to say that the Academy got it right in 1934 with It Happened One Night and in 1931 with Grand Hotel. Both great flicks!

Hope you enjoyed this stroll down Oscar lane!