Thanksgiving Week

When we reflect back to the first Thanksgiving Day -we usually think of that autumn day in 1621 after the Pilgrims harvested their first season of crops here in the New World. This celebration lasted for three days. It is recorded that there were 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims in attendance. Thanksgiving celebrations after this were sporadic for many years. In 1789, George Washington called for a celebration of Thanksgiving. As a nation, the people celebrated and gave thanks for the blessings they had received that year. But, it wasn’t until 1863 that it was proclaimed a national holiday. This was during the time of the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln told the people of the United States to “give thanks and praise to the beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Thanksgiving has become a time of family gatherings for many people, so much so, that those that aren’t able to spend the holiday with family often feel let down. We look around us and it seems that everyone else is either traveling to a Thanksgiving meal or hosting one in their own home. For those of us that aren’t able to be with family this Thanksgiving, we can still celebrate the reason Abraham Lincoln made it a national holiday. We can give thanks and praise to our Father who dwells in the Heavens. We can use the day as a special time to reconnect with our Father. We can pray for others that are missing their families on Thanksgiving. We can pray for those in the military overseas that are defending our freedoms. We can pray for those people in the United States that don’t have the financial means to be with family. We can pray for ourselves and ask God to help us have a thankful heart.

There are many of us that won’t be with our loved ones, but we can still make the day a special day. It’s a day of Thanksgiving – whether with family or not. Enjoy and give thanks!