Please, make ours baked ham; better yet, roast beef.
Pass us on the turkey though; that’ll leave more for others. Now, we’re not really being generous because it’s the day for thankfulness. No, turkey has always been fowl to us. (That could be a pun.) All meats, with feathers as original coats, fit that category.
In the minority or completely alone, we can’t think of a person, except us, who doesn’t like chicken and, so it seems, turkey, too. Sounds like we’re a picky eater; maybe so, but we’re thankful there’s plenty to eat, and we can make such childish selections.
Appreciation is what Thanksgiving Day is about. Many people think of the food and forget why the day is celebrated. Blessings are often not even said before dinner.
Originated by the Pilgrims, who fled from England for religious freedom, the first Day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God was in 1621, in appreciation of their meager harvest. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving, and each year since, the fourth Thursday of November has been designated Thanksgiving Day.
Thankfulness is the most important ingredient in a satisfied life and is talked about in the Bible more than any other subject. Our sixth grade religion class has a ritual following the format: “Oh my God, I love you. I am most thankful for….”
After we start, class members relate their thankfulness. It is essential to first express appreciation to the Lord our God for life on earth and life eternal. Next, we must be thankful for our health, family, food and shelter, which many take for granted. Those other blessings: A new horse, a litter of kittens and a family vacation are important,
too.
Psalm 100 is called A Psalm for Thanksgiving. “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before him with joyful singing. Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name. For the Lord is good; His loving kindness is everlasting, And His faithfulness to all generations.”
On Thursday, let’s be thankful for more than a big dinner. Try saying: “Oh my God, I love you. I am most thankful for your coming for my salvation. Thank you for my health, my family, my food, my shelter, military persons serving for my freedom, police officers, firefighters…” Share the day with or a call a loved one. They’ll be thankful too.
+++ALLELUIA+++