1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – “Rejoice always; 17 pray without ceasing; 18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Please forgive me, but I am somewhat ignoring the entire context of this text to make a statement.  In verse eighteen, we read, “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”   In Everything, Give Thanks…This is identified as God’s will!

Most of us will refer to the Pilgrims as initiating the ‘Feast of Thanksgiving.’ However, according to much documentation in history, they only did this the first year and did not systematically repeat it annually.  However, some more religious Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving with ‘prayer and fasting,’ not ‘feasting.’ 

I am aware of seven other nations that have an annual National Day of Thanksgiving: Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Korea, Liberia, and Switzerland.  I do not know the extent or festivities of each of those, only that they have designated a particular day nationally. 

In 1777 when, General Washington and the troops, in incredibly horrible weather en route to Valley Forge, stopped in an open field to celebrate the 1^st Thanksgiving of the new United States of America, and in 1789, he declared November 26^th as a national day of ‘Thanksgiving and Prayer.’ 

During the 1800s, the Presidential Day of Thanksgiving ceased, and in 1863, Abraham Lincoln resumed the practice.  It was not until 1941that FDR established the 4^th Thursday in November as the National Thanksgiving Day, and now Colleges and the NFL have made it the National Day of Football Tailgate Parties.  (I say that tongue in cheek)

Although I am somewhat put off and have been for a long time with the commercialization of various holidays, I believe that true ‘Thanksgiving’ should certainly not be relegated to one particular day. However, every day, I still appreciate the National Day of Thanksgiving. 

In my formative years, it was a day in which the family gathered and enjoyed each other while feasting.  I dare say we did not express enough thanks for what we had, but I do believe that we recognized that without the hand of God, we would not have had the bounty we had.  Love was never lacking in our home, making this time of the year especially rewarding for me.  

I miss the family gatherings we had while Dad and Mother were alive living in East Texas.  Today, with the hectic schedules that most have and the fragmentation of families, it becomes more and more challenging to establish a tradition and have unique family gatherings as in days gone by.  Yet, we all can and should be Thankful for what we have, for we could have much less, even if we now have much less than we did in the not-too-distant past. 

I am ‘thankful’ for my relationship with God.  I am ‘thankful’ for my family.  I am ‘thankful’ for my health. Although I am not without some medical and physical problems. Overall, to the best of my knowledge, I am healthy.  I am ‘thankful’ for friends.  I am ‘thankful’ for my country and the freedoms we have and enjoy today. 

In short, I Am Thankful and will express that to God today, but I choose not to limit my Giving of Thanks to Thanksgiving Day. I know you share my sentiments if you are sick, wounded, lonely, or facing dire economic times. I pray that God grants you a miracle and that His presence will powerfully grace your home or abode today enabling you to look above and beyond your difficulties to His Awesomeness. 

God bless you as you celebrate this Day of Thanksgiving!