We are approaching Thanksgiving –
A day where friends and family typically gather together to feast with turkey, dressing, trimmings, apple pie and much more. When I was young, our family along with my aunts, uncles, cousins and a few friends would come from all over the country to gather at my grandparents’ house for a family dinner. Those not coming from out of town always brought something—jello, ambrosia, and dressing to die for that was a meal in itself. My Grandmother would always cook a couple of turkeys which would have made us happy if that was all there was!
Those were the days when families gathered and celebrated Thanksgiving. Truly, just gathering together was a blessing of God.
Proclamation for Thanksgiving Holiday
President George Washington was the first to issue a proclamation for the holiday in 1789, designating Thursday, November 26 “for the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving.” This marked the first national celebration of the holiday under the new Constitution. Thanksgiving did not become an official US holiday until on October 6, 1941 when the House passed a joint resolution declaring the last Thursday in November to be the legal Thanksgiving Day. The Senate, however, amended the resolution establishing the holiday as the fourth Thursday, which would take into account those years when November has five Thursdays. The House agreed to the amendment, and President Roosevelt signed the resolution on December 26, 1941, thus establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the Federal Thanksgiving Day holiday.
While Thanksgiving is a day to be celebrated, we should celebrate every day as a day of Thanksgiving. Regardless of our trials, tribulations, health problems, or family problems, every day is a blessing from God, our Savior, who sent his Son to die so we may have everlasting life with Him. There is no gift that can match or even come remotely close to the gift God gave us His Son.
Your servant in Christ,
One of His Disciples