Word of Encouragement

Over the past couple of weeks, apparently some governors and mayors have spoken – or should I say misspoken: Apparently they want to help us with their diets so they have decreed: “Thanksgiving is cancelled!”

Upon hearing this, I thought: “You’ve got to be kidding!” But then I considered the sources. I know that what they really meant to say was Thanksgiving celebrations are being discouraged because of COVID. For me, if the people issuing these decrees really understood the history and meaning of Thanksgiving, they would have encouraged us to celebrate this day in a different and perhaps more meaningful way.

Let me explain what I mean. Several years ago when my daughter was in fourth grade, I attended a parent - teacher conference. It was held in the middle of November and the walls were covered with pictures of Pilgrims, turkeys, and Native Americans.

When the teacher asked if there were any other questions, I asked the teacher (after the conference had concluded) what she was teaching my daughter about the meaning of Thanksgiving. She explained that they were teaching that the Pilgrims had endured numerous hardships and a very difficult winter, and they were thankful for the provisions that had sustained them. I nodded my head and then asked: “Who were the Pilgrims giving thanks to?”

To make a long story short, while she gave me a couple of nice politically correct answers, she never did give me the “correct answer.” The schools were teaching that the Pilgrims were thanking everybody and everything - except nowhere did she mention what I call the big “G” word. Big “G” as in “God.”

So risking the wrath of my wife and the future grades of my daughter (not to worry though, as she is a lot smarter than her dad), I asked if I could share what I had learned about how Thanksgiving came to be recognized as a national holiday.

The first Thanksgiving Proclamation was issued on June 29, 1676. The Governing Council of Charlestown, MA, issued a proclamation which decreed that the 29th of June, would be a day of solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for his goodness and favor.

The tradition they began in 1676 was carried on by George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, President Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving as a November celebration. In the midst of the Civil War, when things were looking very bleak, President Lincoln issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation where he stated that because our Nation’s bountiful blessings, were:

“the gracious gifts of the Most High God…. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States…to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father... and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation..."

This has been a crazy and challenging year for us and a whole bunch of people. But this passage from Philippians helps remind us why we can still celebrate Thanksgiving:

“Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”

So even in this COVID crazy world, there are still “noble and lovely and excellent things” that we can be thankful for. Whether it’s important things such as our families, friends, the country we live in, the freedoms we enjoy, or the relationships we share, perhaps we can hit the pause button, take some advice from Lincoln and come together as a Nation and give thanks to the “Big G” God for His blessings on our country.

Seemed like a good idea in 1863. It seems like an even better idea in 2020!