Like Blake, most of us learned in grade school that the Pilgrims first celebrated Thanksgiving in 1621 in Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts. Originally 102 of them sailed here from England on the Mayflower, but only 56 of them survived their first year. The Pilgrims realized, when their first harvest was so bountiful, that they could not have made it without their Indian friends and decided to celebrate with a feast. I guess my 1st grader got it right!
Two years later in 1623, Massachusetts was experiencing a severe drought (our nations first economic downturn?), prompting Governor William Bradford to ask for the Pilgrims to pray. The Pilgrims prayed and it rained the very next day, ensuring another bountiful harvest. A grateful Bradford, without delay, ordered a day of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was not celebrated again for fifty-three years.
In 1789 George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving. Upon further study I have learned that it was a woman who had more to do with our country’s decision to celebrate what we recognize today as Thanksgiving. It wasn’t George Washington she had to convince, but Abraham Lincoln, who in 1863, 74 years and 15 presidents later, decided to declare a day of Thanksgiving. Even then, it took Sara Josepha Hale , a magazine editor, forty years to write enough letters and editorials to convince a sitting American President to set aside the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day.
Every American President since Lincoln has signed proclamations commemorating Thanksgiving. Interestingly, the holiday has been celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year since 1941 even though President Franklin Roosevelt did agree on one occasion to move the day from the last Thursday in the month of November to the next-to-last Thursday. Guess Why? You got it: To create a longer Christmas shopping season . If the devil’s not in the details, I don’t know who is!
Thanksgiving is more than a holiday. Thanksgiving is more than a day off. Thanksgiving is more than turkeys. Thanksgiving is a perspective.
“Let us come before him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 95:2)
This Thanksgiving I am grateful for my life in Christ, and you my precious church community. Like Blake and the Pilgrims, I Am Thankful For Indians (family and friends) that I could not have made it without. Let me encourage you to take a moment and thank God for the things that no one can take from you. After all is said and done, it really is Him to whom we should pause and give thanks.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Pastor Brent
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