THANKS-GIVING

The tradition for the celebration of thanksgiving began in the 1600’s.  The pilgrims ran from religious persecution in England and landed at Plymouth Rock.  They we not prepared to endure the harsh conditions of a Massachusetts winter and many died.  Those that survived did so because of the assistance they received from the Indians that were already settled in that region.  A feast was prepared for the Indian and Settlers to share and show appreciation for the Indian assistance and the formation of a new relationship.  The second memorable gathering occurred in 1777 after the British were defeated in 1776 and the settlers gained their independence from the old British rule.  Later it was made into a holiday.

Today, we gather with family and friends with a primary focus of the food we are to eat, the football games, or the uncle or aunt that we haven’t seen since last year.  We awake on Friday to initiate the Christmas shopping season.

Now the title of the day was coined thanks -giving because the early settlers were giving thanks with a feast to those who had helped them survive harsh weather or to celebrate the victory. Their survival and victory changed the course of history.

The first mention of thanks is usually when the grace is said.  We generally only spend seconds saying grace for a year’s worth of blessings; if we say grace at all. I know in my family, if you say grace too long you start hearing various ones saying amen for you.

Have we as individuals become less thankful and more ungrateful?  Do we take the good things that happen to us as luck or begin to expect them to happen?  Have you ever noticed when you go into a place of business now you generally are the one who says thank you and not the person you just gave your hard earned money to?  Whatever happened to teaching our children to say please and thank you? Have we begun to take even God for granted?  I was reminded of the scripture 2 Timothy 3:1-9 and it tells of how people will begin to be unthankful.

I hope you join with me in reversing this trend.  Thankfulness and gratitude are conscious choices.  I choose to be thankful every day and will express my thanks giving longer than the time it takes to say grace.   We have so much to be thankful for that gratitude should be flowing from our lips toward God. 

If you know who you are and where you are, give God thanks.  If you can breathe on your own, thank God.  If you can stand on your own two feet, thank God.  If have a job, thank God.  If you have food to eat, thank God.  Say thank you and give people recognition for their kind acts and consideration towards you, but remember, every perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17).

 It’s not our talents that promote us, but the favor of God.  It’s not our burglar alarms that protect our homes and possessions; it’s the angels of the Lord that He has assigned to us.   It’s not our driving skills or ABS brakes that take us over the highways safely, it is the traveling mercies of God that allow us to go out and to come in safely.

Give thanks freely and the blessings will continue to come.  Let’s put the giving thanks back into thanksgiving and make it a daily habit. We are given something each and every day to be thankful for.  Thank you for taking the time to read my words and making my writing such a fulfillment and joy.   Have a blessed Thanksgiving season and I thank God for each and every one of you.