THANKSGIVING

1st Thessalonians 5:14-18

To recall the circumstance of the first day of  Thanksgiving may serve to remind us of how much more we have to be thankful for than those early Pilgrims. History tells us that of the 102 immigrants who landed on the bleak, rocky coast of Cap Cod bay in the winter of 1620 almost half of them died before the following  winter set in.

Today in our comfortable country and city homes we can not imagine the suffering of the survivors both from destitution and the weather for which they were not prepared with clothes or habitation.

According to history barley and Indian corn were their only crops. Four of their men went out and got enough wild meat to do for a week of celebrating. An Indian Chief named Massasalt and ninety of his men  come in and brought 5 deer to celebrate with them for three days. This was in 1621 and was the beginning of what we know as Thanksgiving.

We can have our tables full of food but until we give thanks from the heart we have not had a true Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is a day everyone can celebrate,  Jews, Catholics, Protestants and Baptist all have a lot to be thankful for. It is strange to me that only two countries ( that I know of ) that being America and Canada that celebrate Thanksgiving. A young girl was ask if she had anything to be thankful for and she replied, I'm thankful for everything God had done for me and everyone else not only today but all during the year

I was taught to say thank you when anyone did something for me, surely we should say thank you for the many blessings God has given us. Our food, clothing, shelter, health, friends, church, eternal life, family. Each of us should have a lot of gratitude for freedom, the joy of being  able to live in America. I have seen people of other countries suffer from a lack of food. Today many will go hungry, thousands of children have needs for survival and many of our people here have been blessed with so much but many will not as much as bow their head and say Thank You dear Lord for my many blessings.

Thanksgiving did not originate with the little group of forefathers who observed the first Thanksgiving Day or days. Thanksgiving is a part of the soul's response to an all-wise Creator and Heavenly Father, and is as old as God and grace. True Thanksgiving is based more on the inward disposition than on the outward circumstances. Today, you and I can see Thanksgiving time come and go. We can have our table set with the most beautiful food, we can have our friends and family to come by and still not celebrate Thanksgiving from our hearts. Let's be sure that each of us counts our blessings and as we look to the Giver of these blessings say thank you from a grateful heart.