Truly Thankful

As i look around me, i see that the over-commercialization of Christmas has begun to extend into more and more places. The latest seems to be how stores are now starting to ignore Reformation Day, er, Hall0ween and Thanksgiving Day altogether.

I work at a large, thriving mall and was dismayed to see Christmas decorations hanging from the rafters in the early parts of November. I asked those around me if the mall was now hanging "Thanksgiving Stockings". It gets a chuckle each time, but the point DOES get across.

When one considers the encroachment of CommercialXmas (retailers can't be doing this in Christ's name) upon an actual National Holiday, it should, in and of itself, remind us of how far we fallen from what we used to be.

There is a delightful website, www.earlyamerica.com that provides documents of our Founding Fathers and those from that era for reading and study. On that site I found President George Washington's Proclamation of a DAY OF PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAYER. Reading this document will humble you. Especially if you put it in the context of how AMerica voted this past November, it should encourage those of you who truly believe in the greatness and goodness of America.

Here is an excerpt:

"WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God"

THAT'S JUST THE OPENING PARAGRAPH!!!!!!!!

What if the ACLU had been around then???? There would be an AVALANCHE of lawsuits! (This begs for more commentary, but that will come in a later post)

Washington continues by stating that Thanksgiving Day be used "to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation"

These are not the words of a Deist. The Original "W" was a CHRISTIAN.

His final paragraph??? Well, the First President concludes the purpose of Thanksgiving Day be "that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. "

This is why we NEED a day of Thanksgiving....to show us who we are and where we come from and to ask for guidance to get to where we need to be.

Happy Thanksgiving!