THANKSgiving Week Thoughts
"When eating bamboo sprouts,
remember the man who planted them."
-- Chinese Proverb
A lot of people celebrate Thanksgiving and don't know any of the history of it. So, in case you haven't seen it, or forgot about it, here it is from Wikipedia:
"Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a holiday celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It has been celebrated as a Federal holiday every year since 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens", to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. Thanksgiving was also celebrated nationally in 1789, after a proclamation by George Washington. As a federal and public holiday in the U.S., Thanksgiving is one of the major holidays of the year. Together with Christmas and New Year, Thanksgiving is a part of the broader holiday season.
The event that Americans commonly call the "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in 1621. This feast lasted three days, and it was attended by 90 Native Americans (as accounted by attendee Edward Winslow) and 53 Pilgrims. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings"-days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought."
Whatever Thanksgiving Day means to you is wonderful. Some just enjoy the feast and getting together with relatives and friends, watching some football, enjoying each others company and the day regardless of the weather. So I hope that you enjoy your day in whatever way you choose.
Several years ago, our Pastor at church told us of the history of Thanksgiving, particularly the Pilgrim's portion. He suggested that the congregation get some dried corn, seeds, popcorn, or you could use small stones, buttons, whatever. Then pass 5 to 7 of these out to each person on Thanksgiving. If it is a large crowd, the smaller number. Then, one by one, each pushes out one of their tokens and states aloud something or someone that they are thankful for and why.
Doing this just before the food is served, just takes a small portion of the day, but it changes the way we think about the day and brings us all to focus on thankfulness. After all, when we call a day a day of thanksgiving, giving thanks would be such an appropriate thing to do. Keep a box of tissues nearby. . .
"Feeling Gratitude And Not Expressing It Is Like Wrapping A Present And Not Giving It." -- William Arthur Ward
Spread Some Joy Today--by giving thanks.
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