Four Things You Should Be Grateful For This Thanksgiving

America has become a very entitled society.  Throughout the past political campaign all we heard was the chanting for specific rights. The right to do and say what ever we want in our community and with our bodies.  My friends that is not freedom, that is chaos. We are blessed to live in a country that protects our basic rights to life (to exist as an individual person), our liberty (the state of being free, with the power of choice and freedom from restraint), and the pursuit of happiness (ie. we can make our own goals to have a meaningful life).  There are many countries that do not allow their citizens these freedoms.

Be Grateful for Thanksgiving Day

There is a long history to our national holiday. The actual first “thanksgiving feast” was in 1621 when the Pilgrims shared food with  the Wampanoag people.  George Washington declared a “day of thanksgiving” in 1789 but over the years it varied. Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November to be a national day of thanksgiving in an attempt to unify the country after the civil war.  Finally, in 1941 Congress passed a law establishing the fourth Thursday in November to be our National Day of Thanksgiving. Since then we have added many of our own traditions such as turkey dinner, pies, football and watching parades followed by long naps.  It is also a great day for sharing memories of  Thanksgiving celebrations from years past.

Ecclesiastes 2:24   There is nothing better for a person than that he should eat and drink and find enjoyment in his toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God,

Be Grateful For The Gift of Community

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12   Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.   For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!  Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?  And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Be Grateful For The Gift Of Life

Ecclesiastes 11:5    As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb of a woman with child, so you do not know the work of God who makes everything.

Psalm 90:12   So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Luke 12:6–7   Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God.  Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.