John Henry Jowett, a British preacher of an earlier generation, said this about gratitude:
"Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic."
- Gratitude is like a vaccine, it can prevent the invasion of a disgruntled and discouraged spirit.
- Gratitude is like an antitoxin, it can prevent the effects of the poisons of cynicism, criticalness and grumbling.
- Gratitude is like an antiseptic; a spirit of gratitude can soothe and heal the most troubled spirit.
Thanksgiving is an amazing medicine; when we are thankful, worries cease, complaining disappears and peace comes into our hearts.
Thanksgiving has a wonderful healing and soothing quality.
Thanksgiving is a special time to be with friends, family and to fellowship with those who are dear to us.
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated less than a year after the Plymouth colonists had settled in America.
The first dreadful winter had killed about half the members of the colony; but new hope came in the summer of 1621.
The Indians taught the Pilgrims to fish off the rocky coasts, to plant corn and to hunt.
The following summer and fall brought a bountiful harvest.
So, despite all the death and hardships, they held a three-day Thanksgiving Celebration with about 90 Indians as their guests.
Their menu for that first Thanksgiving meal included:
- Duck, Geese, Deer and Turkey
- Clams, Eel, Lobster and other Fish
- Wild Plums and Leeks
- Cornbread and Watercress
In 1789, President George Washington, issued a proclamation naming November 26th as a day of National Thanksgiving; but this was a onetime event and there was no regular Thanksgiving Day.
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November 1863, as - "A day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father"
Congress officially passed legislation naming the 4th Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day.
It has become rather easy for us to pass through Thanksgiving to focus our attention on Christmas rather than to grasp the real significance of it.
Real Thanksgiving is a declaration of faith as we recognize the greatness of God.
It is very clear in the Word of God that gratitude is at the very heartbeat of the life of the child of God.
It doesn't matter if you are reading the Old Testament or the
New, we are constantly confronted with words of gratitude and praise.
When Mark Twain was at the peak of his writing career, it is said that his magazine and journal articles were worth $ 5 a word, which was a great sum of money in those days.
A young Harvard graduate student sent Mark Twain a letter:
"Dear Mr. Twain: Enclosed please find $ 5. Please send me your best word".
A few days later, the student received a telegram with this single word response: "Thanks!"
It might be that "thanks" is the most valuable word in any language.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
THANKSGIVING
