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You know, I love the holiday season. I have only one complaint....we always seem to go from Halloween to Christmas. and we seem to forget that 'other' holiday that falls in between the two. I am talking about Thanksgiving.
Not only do we tend to forget it, but, I am afraid that, as a nation, we are forgetting why we celebrate it in the first place.....So, here is a brief refresher course on why we celebrate Thanksgiving, and what it really means.
Now, I know that you guys had history in school, and, at least THEN, we learned about such things as how our nation came to be, and what she stood for. So, I am not going to really go into that much. But then, maybe I should go into that. So, I will...
When people first came to the 'new world' as this continent was then called, they had no idea what conditions were going to be like. But, with hope, and a strong faith in GOD, they set out, and made the trip, and claimed the land. And then they set out to farm it.
During the first year, they endured many hardships, and many of them died from 'new' diseases. They wer not good a growing the same crops that they had grown in England, because the terrain was different, as well as the climate. But they kept on working, and praying, and just ...trying.
The REAL native Americans, aka the indians, came to the rescue. I do not pretend to know how they reacted to the white men that came and invaded their land, and eventually took it from them. But, I DO know that had it not been for them, we might not be here today. It was they who came to the rescue, and taught the white man how to hunt, and what type of crops to plant, and how to tend to their gardens. And they made friends with the white man.
To show their gratitude, the settlers and the Indians came together and had a feast. A feast of Thanksgiving, to God, for allowing them to survive, and for the new friends they had made. And that is kind of the story of Thanksgiving. I am not sure which President actually proclaimed the fourth Thursday in November as a day of Thanksgiving, but I know that it was intended to be just that....a day for giving thanks to God for all the blessings He bestows on us.
Now, today, I am afraid we have all but forgotten what Thanksgiving is all about, and why we celebrate it. And that makes me very sad. And it makes me a little bit angry, too. Because we have all become so busy, and wrapped up in our own little worlds, that it has just become another holiday off with pay.
So, this Thanksgiving, when you sit down to your big meal, and get the chance to enjoy the company of your families, and friends, please take a moment, and remember WHY we celebrate this holiday. And then, take a moment to reflect on what YOU have to be thankful for. You may not think it is much, but I have a feeling that when you stop and start actually counting your blessings, you will find that you have a LOT to be thankful for.
I wish you all a very blessed Thanksgiving......
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