Giving thanks for what we have has a great history in many cultures.
We free people of the United States of America have enshrined this day as a national holiday, Thanksgiving. We give thanks to our Creator, as the Wampanoag Native Americans before us on this land, for our harvest of plenty.
According to the Plimouth Plantation one of our forebears Edward Winslow wrote to a friend in England, and said: “And God be praised, we had a good increase…. Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling that so we might after a special manner rejoice together….” Winslow continues, “These things I thought good to let you understand… that you might on our behalf give God thanks who hath dealt so favourably with us.”
As we celebrate with a feast today I am thankful for much.
- I am thankful for life. I am thankful for the love, trust, respect, and support of my wife.
- I am thankful for my two beautiful, talented, loving children.
- I am thankful for wonderful family and friends around the world.
- I am thankful for living in the greatest country on earth, the U.S.A.
- I am thankful for the freedom of expression, of conscience, of religion, we all have here.
- I am thankful for the opportunity for productive work.
Those words have real meaning, and you have much to be thankful for too. For all of the complaints we might have in our lives, our blessings far outweigh them. Remember, somebody else has it far worse than you.
For what are you thankful today?
Note: I ran an informal poll on the radio and my Facebook page asking about favorite desserts for Thanksgiving, and it was a dead heat between pumpkin pie and pecan pie.