Gobble Gobble!

That’s right, it’s about God.  Yet another holiday with God as the basis of the holiday, much like Christmas.  Watch TV during Thanksgiving and we will see lots of people dressed like pilgrims and Native Americans.  Watching the news this morning I saw that there are parents protesting their children’s school because of the making of the paper pilgrim hats and bonnets as well as headbands with feathers. 

Now I grew up my entire elementary school life, which is a year longer than most Americans because I failed K5, making the construction paper hats and headbands.  One year I even dressed in a complete native American costume.  Look at me, it didn’t distort me or cause me any permanent damage. . . OK maybe I’m not the best example.  But I do know that Thanksgiving isn't a negative towards our Native Americans.  The Native Americans played a huge roll in helping the pilgrims survive, a relationship that was great for 50 years.

I hear a lot of “What are you thankful for?”, “I’m thankful for ______.” on TV but I don’t hear “I’m thankful to God for ________.”  Again another holiday moving away from God and becoming consumer centered. 

This year let’s make sure our kids understand that Thanksgiving is about giving thanks to God.  The pilgrims recognized God, so should we:

"Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, served the company almost a week. At which time, among other recreations, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed upon our governor, and upon the captain, and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

From the most detailed description of the "First Thanksgiving" comes from Edward Winslow from A Journal of the Pilgrims at Plymouth, in 1621.

Side Note:  I don’t ever remember being taught that Squanto, the native American who helped the pilgrims, already spoke English.  Taught English by other European settlers and trappers and also was sold into slavery, sent to live in Spain and then was freed by his master and allowed to return to America.  I learned this watching the Peanuts Thanksgiving special last night.  See, cartoons are a great source of education and knowledge.