There is one “little” word in our English language that has a BIG meaning, that is, the word, “thanks”. I’ve found that being thankful isn’t that popular anymore. I hardly ever hear a “thanks” in everyday conversation (sorry to say). There was a time when an attitude of gratitude was a way of life, and I hope that in my parenting I taught my boys to say, “thanks”, but I’m not sure they (or I) follow through.
Its amazing to me that the holiday, Thanksgiving, is celebrated nowadays with hardly a word about its beginnings. Oh, I know all about the Pilgrims and the Indians and the story. I’m not talking about that. I’m talking about the reason behind the FIRST LEGAL holiday celebrating Thanksgiving.
General Thanksgiving
By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and
WHEREAS, both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness”:
NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these states to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the Beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; . . . .
GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington
“Thanks” to my fifth grade teacher (Mrs. Ohaver) for teaching this and to Pastor Perryman for reminding me of the above. Our country founded “with grateful hearts” to the “service of that great and glorious Being”.
Did you know that being thankful can be an anecdote for worry? YEP - its true! In hard times, in times of stress and worry, I try to think of ONE THING I can be thankful for IN IT and the stress seems to diminish, the “hard time” not so “hard” – if you get my meaning. Let me reiterate some of this:
§ Thank You, Lord, for my husband’s job, even though he is laid off right now, we are thankful for Your Provision as I know You are taking care of us.
§ Thank You for my parents’ health, including Timm’s dad, for every day they still have with us and the work You are doing in them.
§ Thank You for our church, minus one pastor soon, for the family of Christ who is ready and able to do Your work to the best of our ability.
§ Thank You for my parents’ divorce, because in that You brought me my step-mom who introduced me to Your Word.(!)
§ Thank you for all my marriage ups and downs, the hard times, really, cause in them you gave my husband and I insight into what our marriage needed and where it should be in order to give You glory.
May our hearts see . . . . how thankful we should be!
Love this! I have a journal that I started at the beginning of the month and every day of November I have wrote what I am thankful for.
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