Have A Happy Thanksgiving

In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is a festival fixed by proclamation of the President and government of the states as a legal holiday. The earliest harvest Thanksgiving was kept by the Pilgrim Fathers at Plymouth, in 1621 after the gathering of the first harvest, when Governor Bradford made provision for a day of thanksgiving and prayer.

In 1957 the Canadian Parliament announced that on the second Monday of October, Thanksgiving would be a "day of general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed with." Thanksgiving is a very fitting observance not only for Canadian and Americans, but indeed for all the countries of the world both great and small. The act of giving thanks to God for His abundant mercies, provision and favor should be the response of a heart of thankful gratitude by people of all races.

Thanksgiving is a time to pause and reflect upon the goodness of God towards each of us as individuals and express to God our appreciation for all that He has done for us. We ought to be thankful each and everyday of our lives for the innumerable blessings which God has been pouring down upon our lives. A thankful person attitude reflects thankfulness to God for every blessing both great and small. Why should we be thankful? We should be thankful to the Lord for the warmth of the sunshine and eyes that can see the light of day. We should be thankful to God for food and shelter and a place we call home. We should be thankful to God for all His benefits and favors, because there are many who are less fortunate. We should live our lives in an atmosphere of thankfulness and gratitude to God continuously. Our attitude ought to be one of consistent gratitude. We should be thankful to God both in the good times and bad times. The call to thanksgiving is a universal call to all mankind. Everything that has breath ought to count their blessings and with a theme of exuberant praise proclaim thanksgiving to God.

Have A Happy Thanksgiving

Archives

View past issues of "From the Pastors Desk"