Post on 24-Jul-2018
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AThanksgivingDayStoryChildren’sStory
GoodmorningandwelcomeandHappyThanksgiving.Ourstory
todayisaboutthehistoryofhowThanksgivingDaycametobe.Let’s
listennow.
HowThanksgivingCametoBe
Thefamilyhadjustfinishedtheirbigturkeydinner.Young
Nathaniel,swallowinghislastbiteofpumpkinpie,rantoGrandpapa’s
lapandjumpeduponit.“Grandpapa,doyoulikepumpkinpie?”
Withachuckle,hereplied,“Why,it’smyfavorite.Thanksgiving
wouldn’tbethesamewithoutit.”
“Grandpapa,whydowecelebrateThanksgiving?It’snotlike
ChristmaswherewecelebrateJesusandgivepresents.Wedon’thave
Easteregghuntsorshootfireworks.Wejustgotochurchandhavea
bigdinner.”
“Nathaniel,that’saverygoodquestion.Wouldyouliketohear
thestoryofhowwecametocelebrateThanksgiving?”
HelovedGrandpapa’sstories.“Yes,”hesaid.
“Let’sstartfromthebeginning.Morethanfourhundredyearsago,
manypeopleinEnglandwereveryunhappybecausetheirkingsaid
theymustusethesameprayersthathedid,eveniftheyhaddifferent
ones.
“Canakingdothat?”askedNathaniel.
“Backthenhecould.Hethreatenedtoputtheminjailortake
awaytheirhomesiftheydidn’t.
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“SomeoftheEnglishmensaidtoeachother,‘Letusgoawayfrom
thiscountry.’Itwashardforthemtoleavetheirhomelandbutthey
knewintheirheartsthatitwasimportanttohavefreedomofreligion.
So,theywenttothecountrycalledHolland.
“Here,theywerehappyforawhile,buttheywereverypoor.
TheirchildrenstartedspeakingDutchanditseemedthefamilieswere
losingtheirEnglishtraditions.
"’Thiswillneverdo,’saidtheparents.Aftermuchdiscussionthey
decidedtocomeheretoAmerica,andthisiswhypeoplecallthem
‘Pilgrims.’"
Nathanielasked,“Whatdoespilgrimmean?”
“Itreferstopeoplewhojourneytoasacredplaceforreligious
reasons,”Grandpapasaid.
“Afterovercomingmanychallenges,theytraveledontheshipthe
Mayflower.Theshipwassmall,andtherewereonehundredpeopleon
board,includingmothers,fathers,andchildren.Theweatherwascold
andtheseawasrough,pitchingtheMayflowerbackandforthsomuch
thatitwasdifficultforthemtosleep.”
“Howlongweretheyontheship?”askedNathaniel.
“Morethantwomonths.And,theyhadbeenlivingontheshipfor
nearlyamonthandahalfbeforeitsailed.
“Theconditionswerechallenging,butonegreatthinghappened
onboard.Inthemiddleofbeingintheoceanababywasborn.Hewas
named‘Oceanus,’afterhisplaceofbirth.Whenthechildrenhadnothing
todo,theywouldplaywithOceanus,whichalwaysbroughtsmilesback
totheirfaces.
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“Finally,onNovember9,1620,theysightedland.”
“Yay,”shoutedyoungNathaniel.“Nowthechildrencouldplayand
gotoschool.”
“Notrightaway,”repliedgrandpapa.Itwascoldandtherewere
nohouses.Beforetheylefttheship,theleaderscreatedawrittenform
ofgovernmentcalledtheMayflowerCompact.Whentheyfinallywalked
offtheMayflower,whatdoyouthinktheydidfirst?”
“Theystretched,”answeredNathanielinnocently.
Grandpapachuckled,“Yes,theymighthavedonethatbutthen
theyprayed.AllthepeoplekneltandthankedGodforprotectingthem
ontheirjourney.
“Duringthatfirstyear,thePilgrimsworkedthroughvery
challengingconditionsofillnessandextremelycoldweathertobuild
homesandfindfood.SomefriendlyIndians,includingSquantowho
spokeEnglish,taughtthemhowtohuntandplant.
“Twelvemonthslater,whenitwasautumn,thefathersgathered
thebarley,wheatandcornthattheyhadplanted.Ithadgrownsowell
thattheywouldhavequiteenoughforthenextlongwinter.
"’LetusthankGodforhisabundance,’theysaid.Sothefamilies
andleadersthankedGodintheirhomesandintheirlittlechurch.
"Then,themotherssaid,‘LetushaveagreatThanksgivingfeast,
andinvitethefriendlyIndians,andallrejoicetogether.’
“SotheyhadthefirstThanksgivingpartyintheautumnof1621.
Andagrandoneitwas!TheyallthankedGodforhisgoodness.”
“So,thatiswhywecelebrateThanksgiving?”askedNathaniel.
“That’sonlyonereason.”
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“There’smore?”askedanastonishedNathaniel.
Grandpapaanswered,“Alittle,butjustasimportant.People
honoredthatfirstThanksgivingbutitwasn’tarealholiday.Morethana
hundredyearslaterthecountryhadgrown,foughtawarforitsfreedom
andelectedGeorgeWashingtonastheirfirstpresident.
“In1789,somemembersofgovernmentwantedPresident
WashingtontodeclareadayofgivingpublicthanksgivingtoAlmighty
Godforalltheirblessings.Butsomepeoplethoughtthatifthe
governmentwasinvolvedintheirworship,itwouldtakeawaytheir
religiousfreedoms.”
Nathanielinterrupted,“That’swhythePilgrimsleftEngland,
wasn’tit?”
“Yes,andtheirchildren’schildrenhadheardthosestoriesand
didn’twantthattohappentothem.Washingtonunderstoodthe
importanceofreligiousfreedom,butalsorecognizedtheimportanceof
givinggratitudetoGod.So,whenhegavehisproclamation,hemadeit
knownthatstatesandpeoplecouldhonoritinawaythatwasagreeable
tothem.”
“Thatwasasmartthingtodo,”saidNathaniel.“Whatdidhis
procla---
“Proclamation,”helpedGrandpapa.
“Yes,whatdidthisproclamationsay?”
“WashingtonproclaimedtoallAmericanpeopletoacknowledge
theprotectivecareofAlmightyGodandtoobeyhiswillandtobe
gratefulforallhisbenefits.Heproclaimedthisdaytobeoneofgiving
thanksforapeacefulcountryandtheConstitutionthattheycreatedas
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thelawofthelandandthatguaranteedtheirreligiousfreedom.”
Nathanielsaid,“So,that’swhywecelebrateThanksgiving?”
“Yes,itwasthesecondreason,butitstillwasn’tanofficialholiday.
In1863,theUnitedStateswasinaterriblewar.Manypeoplewanted
thenationtobeatpeaceandhaveanofficialdayofThanksgiving.On
October3,1863,PresidentAbrahamLincolnissuedaproclamation
settingasidethelastThursdayinNovemberasanationaldayofthanks.
And,that’swhywecelebrateThanksgivingtodayasaNationalholiday.”
Nathanielsaid,“IamgratefultothosebravePilgrimsandto
GeorgeWashingtonforhisprocla—ma—tionandforPresidentLincoln
makingitaholiday.I’mgladwegaveourprayerstoday.”Nathaniel
paused.
“And,I’mreallythankfulthatpumpkinpieisapartofThanksgiving.I’ll
gogetusapiecenow.Thatstorymademehungry.”Nathanieljumped
offhisGrandpapa’slapandstartedtoracetothekitchen.Suddenlyhe
stoppedandturnedbackaround.“Thanks,Grandpapa,fortellingme
aboutthetruemeaningofThanksgiving.I’mgratefulforyou.”
ThenheranoffasGrandpapasmiledandwipedatearfromhis
cheekandwhispered,“And,I’mgratefultoGodforyou,too.”
CONCLUSION:
OurbelovedSaintGermaintoldusthatthefirstThanksgivingDay
wasadirectresultoftheeternalandinfinitegratitudeintothehuman
heartbytheHolySpirit.Itwascalledforthbytheloveoffreedom.It
wasanoverflowingoftheinnercupofgratitudeandjoyinthedevout
heartsofthoseearlyandhardyPilgrimfathers(BelovedSaintGermain,Pearls
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ofWisdom®,Vol.2No.46,November20,1959). Beforeweleavetoday,let’sgowithinourheartsandquietly
expressgratitudetoGodforourfreedomandallthegiftsfromGod.
(Pauseforabout10–15seconds.)
Let’sendbystandingandsaying,“Hear,OUniverseIAMGrateful.”
(Recite3x.)