There are really two wholly American holidays. July Fourth and Thanksgiving. We celebrate the Fourth with parades, flying flags and bratwurst, as we should. These days it's not so much our declaration against the tyranny of taxes but our independence to speak our minds, worship as we please, and the freedoms from want and fear. But as Father reminded us at Church this morning because we have a global media,we are more aware of the famine in Somalia and the strife in Equador as well as the persecution of Christians in Muslim countries. The four Freedoms that we have taken for granted for so long are slowly eroding away.
Last week our daughter, Maureen, was here to go with me to the Doctor - another good report - and the next day,she and I went on a Field Trip. As we traveled to Springfield we noticed a lot of houses already decorated for Christmas and we talked about how we seem to go from Halloween to Christmas bypassing the wonderful holiday, Thanksgiving.
Later in the day, we were discussing our ancestors and talking about one of them, William Bradford, the Governor of the Plymouth Colony. She printed out the following guote of his:
"And afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with
interchange of fair warm weather as, through His blessing, caused
a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing.
For which mercy, in time convenient, they also set apart a day of
thanksgiving...By this time harvest was come, and instead of famine
now God gave them plenty...for which they blessed God".
Governor Bradford as the civil authority recognized Thanksgiving Day in 1623. This date is almost 150 years previous to July 4th, 1776
I propose that we do not decorate, do not buy or do not plan Christmas until we have taken time to give thanks. Thanks for the fact that we are a country, for the most part, without strife, famine and persecution. Thanks for the fact that we can get on a plane, train, a bus or get in the car to go over the river and through the woods to be with those we love or are related to - and sometimes it's both. Thanks for the fact that we can - or cannot - watch the Packers and Lions play football even if you are a Bears fan. Thanks for good health enough to enjoy all of the above and enough wealth to live as we do. So if it's turkey and all the trimmings or Smelt, because that's what you can afford, give Thanks. Our God is good.
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