WHAT'S WRONG WITH PILGRIMS AND INDIANS EATING TOGETHER?

I watched a brief segment on Newsmax yesterday about a group who are trying to 'decolonize' our early American history.  The meaning that I took from this report was that the traditional, historical story of the first thanksgiving is somehow repulsive to the true identity of Americans today.

Like so many of you, I have developed theories to guide me in understanding and interpreting history.  One of my beliefs is that the earlier the source material, the more likely it is to represent the truth.  I've made no attempt to prove this theory, it just made sense to me.  One day in 2016, the church that I was leading held a quite large 'rummage sale'.  As I walked through, I noticed a collection of books titled THE AMERICAN HERITAGE NEW ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES.  

  

[It was published in 1963, by Robert G. Athearn (Professor of History, University of Colorado) by Dell Publishing Company, Inc., New York.]

Volume 1 includes a lengthy foreward by John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States.  My thought process was simple.  If this project was endorsed  by JFK and completed in 1963, it would have a less tainted presentation.  For a modest price, I purchased the sixteen volume set - even though a couple of volumes were missing.  [I was quickly able to purchase the missing volumes by searching the internet.]  

I initially thought that my grandkids might find value in these volumes, but they have lived at such great distance from us that this opportunity never flourished.  

I bristle at the blatant attempts to redefine history.  History should be reported as fairly as possible for future generations to read and evaluate.  [And yet I understand that the historian's biases and perspectives are difficult - if not impossible - to avoid.] 

It baffles my mind that we would want to take a friendly exchange between the early American settlers and the Native Americans and somehow interpret it as a bad experience!  

Please, I've heard and understand that the early American settlers introduced sickness to the Native Americans.  I'm aware of the repetitive breaking of treaties.  The story of the treatment of Native Americans is in itself a 'trail of tears'!  I've read books to better inform myself about the treatment of Native Americans, such as BURY MY HEART AT WOUNDED KNEE: An Indian History of the American West, by Dee Brown, 1970.  

I'm well aware of the injustices dealt to the Native Americans across decades of early American development.  I genuinely mourn this sad chapter of our history!  Like the period of human slavery, it is a shameful segment that we should all lament!  

Yet, how do these realities - as painful and embarrassing as they are - negate the peaceful gathering that took place in the early fall of 1621?  

Is it wrong for us to mimic the menu for that first great day of Thanksgiving?

• cod, bass, and other fish
• wild ducks and geese
• turkey
• lobster
• watercress
• berries
• dried fruit
• boiled pumpkin
• clams
• plums, and
• venison  (King Massasoit’s men went out and killed 9 deer for the feast).

We have details about these several days of feasting that come from credible sources.  What value is there in denying or ignoring these facts?  What is wrong with school children reenacting the events of this first Thanksgiving?  

Having begun my schooling career in 1956, I was a part of a system that would be unrecognizable today!  Before we were released for the Thanksgiving holiday, I remember us singing together two songs:

Over the river and through the woods,
To grandmother's house we go;
The horse knows the way to carry the sleigh,
Through (the) white and drifted snow!

Over the river and through the woods,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes and bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and through the woods,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh, hear the bells ring, "Ting-a-ling-ling!"
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day!

Over the river and through the woods,
Trot fast, my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is Thanksgiving Day.

Over the river and through the woods,
And straight through the barnyard gate.
We seem to go extremely slow
It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the woods,
Now Grandmother's cap I spy!
Hurrah for the fun! Is the pudding done?
Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Then we would sing:

Come, ye thankful people come,

Raise the song of harvest home;

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin;

God, our Maker, doth provide

For our wants to be supplied:

Come to God's own temple come,

Raise the song of harvest-home.

Hard to believe, huh?

THE FINGERPRINTS ON MY LIFE!

I just finished writing a letter to a man who intersected with our family while we were living in Spencerville, Maryland.  He has had a rough couple of years with his health and may be celebrating one of his last birthdays.  The letter was easy to write because of his generosity and expressions of creativity to us during that brief and challenging stint of our lives.

Writing his letter gave me cause to think about the many people who have engaged meaningfully with me (us) over the course of our lives.  Relationships are so much more valuable than possessions - there really is no comparison!  

As I grow older, I can't help but notice that my expressions of gratitude seem to continually expand and grow.  Perhaps it's perspective?  At this stage of life, its no longer hubris that catalyzes my life.  From my limited perspective, hubris evolves to humility!  I am humbled by the grace of God in the ways He has protected and provided for me and my family!  I can never praise Him enough!

I vividly recall the many years of high motivation and goal-setting.  I felt that I was invincible!  I had education, potential, giftedness, good background, excellent education and so much more!  Look out, world - here he comes!  🙄  I must have been intolerable at times!  These are the signs of youth and young adulthood as we stretch into our new wings and learn to fly!  

But there are SO MANY fingerprints on my life!

• Parents - It would take a book to analyze and describe their dynamic, positive influence.
• Debbie and my kids - That smiley-faced girl that rocked my world when I was sixteen is still deeply forming and impacting my life!  She is my greatest earthly treasure and she has had an enormous impact on me in so many wonderful ways!  The pride I have in our kids and the joy I take from their pursuits and adventures is beyond description!  We deliberately raised them to be independent - even though we knew that doing so would limit our exposure to them.  But, WOW! have they flourished!  Travis gave us opportunities that we would never have dreamed of!  Troy's intermittent contacts with us bring delight and meet our needs so marvelously.  He is highly regarded by many [as is Missy], and is a godly man!  Tracie and Jon gave us two of the most wonderful gifts in Rylie and Coltin!  She amazes us with her efficiency, confidence and dedication to her family!  She models so many admirable qualities!  If you have anything negative to say about Jon, don't say it around me!  He's an amazing husband and father and I thank God for him daily!  
• Teachers - From Sunday School through two master's degrees!  Particularly those that took an interest in me and invested their time and attention.  I was 'in school' - in one form or another - until I turned thirty-nine and completed my M.A. Counseling, so there were a lot of them! 
• Parishoners - Those who accepted me and invested in me with wisdom and grace.  Certain members actually became mentors of grace, passion and patience.  There are so many that I should write about because their influence was significant!
• Friends - From the influence [positive and negative] of childhood and high school friends, the camaraderie of college friends, the friends and neighbors that graced our lives all along the way, and the family friendships that added so much value and meaning to our lives!  But, there were also men in every place we've lived who made themselves special in a panoply of ways:  

            >  guys that shared my passion for the faith and growth of the church!
            >  backpacking buddies.
            >  in earlier years, young men that shared my love for sports.
            >  men that I was privileged to lead to faith in Christ and guide in their early walk with  Christ!
            >  fellows that became my helpers with my cars, other projects, or who were work  associates in the many extracurricular activities that I invested in.

I've always pointed out to Debbie that some of the best stories are about men who connect deeply, share without limits and experience the joys of life together!  I've been blessed to have many in that category!  

_________________________________

Are you getting the message?  

I've long described myself as the 'prosperous man' that is talked about so frequently throughout the scriptures!  

So, on this eve of the eve of Thanksgiving, Lord, I publicly thank You for Your continual kindness and favor to me!  I marvel at Your generosity and provision!  I am grateful for family, friends and fellowship all along the journey of my life!  

Continue to guide and instruct me through these latter years of development.  Help me to keep learning and growing that I might be ready and able to contribute to the lives of others who You might cause me to intersect with!  

You are an awesome God and it is my privilege to serve You!  

_____________________________________

Maybe you'd like to make a list of the people who have impacted you throughout the years?  It's a good way to frame your 2024 celebration of Thanksgiving!

REMARKABLE SIMILARITIES

 THE FIRST AMERICAN THANKSGIVING

At the turn of the 16^th century there was a lot of religious unrest in England.  A group of believers emerged who felt the need to leave the influence of the Church of England.  This group much later became known as Pilgrims.  In 1607 they fled to Holland because their lives were being threatened in England.  From there – in 1620 - they boarded a ship called the Mayflower and set sail for the new lands across the ocean.  Their primary objective was to find a place where they could live and worship in freedom and without persecution. 

The Mayflower was an old boat that was about 100 feet long.  It was quite crowded with 102 passengers (plus crew).  We know the names of all these passengers!  The journey was hard with many storms.  At one point a main beam broke and had to be repaired with a giant screw.  After 66 days, they sighted Cape Cod and realized that they had missed Virginia where they had permission to settle.  But with food and water supplies low, they could go no further. 

Since they were in land that had not been chartered to them, they all signed the Mayflower Compact which basically stated that they would all stay together and cooperate for common survival.  When they were able they petitioned for a new charter for the land in Plymouth;  this charter was granted in 1621. 

In December of 1620, a group went ashore to explore.  They found the land at Plymouth to be suitable for living.  However, the winter was harsh and they were unprepared for it.  Many became sick.  By spring, half had died!  The Mayflower returned to England, but all of its passengers stayed in the new land.  In April, Samoset, a Native American who spoke English walked into the settlement and said, “Welcome!” 

The Wampanoag people had lived in this area for hundreds of years.  They were acquainted with English explorers who had come to fish and hunt.  One of their strongest leaders was Massasoit, who lived 40 miles southwest of the Pilgrims in Rhode Island.  These tribes had suffered from new diseases that took the lives of many of their people!  Because of this, Massasoit was interested in forming alliances wherever he could. 

In the early fall of 1621, the 53 surviving Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving in response to a good harvest.  The 53 included:

• 4 married women
• 5 teenage girls
• 9 teenage boys
• 13 young children
• 22 adult men

Another ship arrived after this celebration, bringing more people to be part of the settlement.

King Massasoit attended the Thanksgiving along with 90 of his men. 

The menu for that first Thanksgiving included:

• cod, bass, and other fish
• wild ducks and geese
• turkey
• lobster
• watercress
• berries
• dried fruit
• boiled pumpkin
• clams
• plums, and
• venison  (Massasoit’s men went out and killed 9 deer for the feast).

This tradition was repeated in 1623 when they had suffered through a summer of severe drought.  However, at the end of the growing season came several weeks of rain that caused their crops to grow wonderfully.  The people were filled with such gratitude that they once again expressed their thanksgiving to God through a celebrative meal! 

WHAT DO WE LEARN FROM THIS?

The thing that leaps from this story of the first American Thanksgiving is the fact that they thanked God even though they had experienced terrible hardship and great loss!  49 of their family and friends had died during that first, hard winter!  They had said a final good-bye to mothers, fathers, friends, and children!  Yet, amazingly, when the Mayflower departed for England – no one left!  Their shelters were makeshift.  The Native Americans were friendly.  The game was bountiful.  The sea held food resources for them.  The ground was capable of bearing fruit.  But, most important, they had freedom!  They could worship God and express themselves to Him without interference from outside authorities! 

It’s interesting to me that they didn’t hold a Thanksgiving the following year.  Thanksgiving was not a ritual for them.  It was not a date on a calendar to be observed.  For whatever reasons, they simply did not give thanks in 1622.

However, in 1623, they experienced a terrible drought.  The summer came and passed with no relief.  Governor William Bradford’s diary reports that no rain fell between the third week of May and late July.  It was unbearably hot!  Everything nearly dried up and died.  In response to this crisis they held a gathering to call on God’s mercy.  It was a day of fasting and prayer in which they humbled themselves before Almighty God! 

Listen to Bradford’s report:  (made contemporary)

…all morning, and the greatest part of that day, it was clear weather & very hot - not a cloud or any sign of rain to be seen.  Yet toward evening it began to become overcast.  Shortly after that it began to rain.  It rained with such sweet and gentle showers that they immediately rejoiced & blessed God.  The rains came without wind or thunder;  with no violence at all, and yet with great abundance so that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked.  It revived the decayed corn & other fruits.  It was so wonderful to see, that it made even the Indians marvel.  After this, the Lord sent them consistent seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather, so through His blessing, they enjoyed a fruitful & liberal harvest.  There was great comfort and rejoicing.  So much so that they set apart another day of thanksgiving.

It’s interesting that they were thankful because there had been a hardship and because they had put their trust in God and because God had clearly answered their prayers and provided for their needs! 

Notice, the previous year had been a normal year, and they did not have a Thanksgiving that year.  But when hardship came;  when drought came;  when they were forced to depend on God – they became thankful! 

APPLICATION

Are you thankful to God even when times have been tough?

When loved ones have died and you’ve had to spend time isolated and cold – can you be thankful then? 

Is God only worthy of praise and worship when He does good things for us?  

Max Lucado tells of when his young daughter fell into a swimming pool.  She was pulled out and resuscitated.  The next morning he was praising God that his daughter was alive and well when He heard God speaking to his heart:  "Would you be praising and thanking Me if she had died?" 

God is always worthy of our praise!

Are you only thankful when God answers prayer?

A lack of gratitude is a terrible thing.  Good parents go to work with their children early to teach them to say thank-you.  I’m always amused when you give a child a piece of candy and the mother says to the child, “What do you say?”  Then, after several promptings, the child looks at you and says. ‘I’m sorry.” 

A lack of gratitude leads to an attitude of entitlement.  And if left long enough, it turns into bitterness and anger. 

Gratitude is so important. 

One Christmas, a parent decreed that she was no longer going to remind her children of their thank-you note duties.  As a result their grandmother never received acknowledgments for the generous checks she had given.

The next year things were different, however.  "The children came over in person to thank me," the grandma told a friend triumphantly.    

"How wonderful!" the friend exclaimed.  "What do you think

caused the change in behavior?"   

"Oh, that's easy," the grandmother replied.  "This year I didn't sign the checks."

 

We all appreciate gratitude when it’s expressed to us.  Don’t you imagine that God also appreciates a thankful heart? 

I spoke with a friend this week and asked him if he was having a good day.  He told me that every day he wakes up and can move his hands is a good day!  Do you feel that way?  Do you regularly give thanks to God for the blessings and protection that He’s given you? 

I send out thank-you notes.  I want people to know how much I appreciate their contributions to what we do here.  I am often thanked for these notes.  To be honest, I receive a lot of thank-you notes, too.  They encourage me,  I keep them and look them over from time-to-time. 

Have you noticed that when people are truly grateful it makes you want to do even more for them? 

Wouldn’t it be great if you could develop a discipline of giving thanks to God? 

My childhood, bedtime prayer:  “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, God, bless Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Jeannette and Lib, Tommy and Bobby, Beverly and Ira; everybody in the world, And keep Harold be a good boy. Amen.”

My prayers are longer and more thorough now;  and hopefully much more meaningful.

How about yours?  Does God know how grateful you are for all the blessings He’s poured out into your life?  Do we really need a national holiday just to remind us to give thanks to God?  Don’t you think He might like to hear it sometimes other than late November?   

The scripture says:   [Psalm 136:1]

Give thanks to the Lord for He is good – His love endures forever!  

 

MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY

Community Thanksgiving services were part of my childhood.  In the early 1960's they were held at 10:00 AM on Thanksgiving Day.  They moved from one church to another as the years unfolded.  It could not have been convenient for the women who were trying to prepare feasts for their families.  I remember a couple of years that just my father and I attended.  We would worship that day with many of our neighbors, expressing our gratitude to God for His blessings and gifts!  Depending on what church was the host, we would experience different styles of worship.  I was always quite impressed with the pipe organs in a few of the churches - so majestic.  Their swells of tympanic music seemed to carry our thanksgiving hymns to the heavens in a far more appropriate manner than at other times.
The corporate reading of scripture was an expression of our unity.  The responsive readings caused us to breathe in unison.  The hearty exchange of greetings on a national day of giving thanks to God was filled with meaning and sincerity!  I remember clearly being moved by these experiences!

Over the years I always chose to participate with the local ministerial groups that represented the communities where I served churches.  I've helped plan the unity services and along with my people have also hosted them on many occasions.  I always tried to make them as special as I could.  Typically the communities observed three times of combined focus:  Thanksgiving, Holy Week and the National Day of Prayer.  Few communities still share these times of emphasis.

This year, Debbie and I attended the Mohawk Area Church Association Community Thanksgiving service at the Westfield Presbyterian Church.  It was held on Sunday evening.  I enjoyed the experience immensely!  It included a community choir of sixty members who gave us three musical treatises that lifted our spirits.  A local group of capable musicians - called Edelweiss - accompanied the choir (along with a drummer);  they also provided pre-worship music that helped focus our thoughts.  The Westfield Faithful Bells presented two magical bell songs that thrilled us with their skill and passion.  A very young lady sang "The Lord's Prayer".  A middle-aged man with an amazing tenor voice sang "Bless This House".  The hymns we sang (with pipe organ accompaniment) gave voice to words that many of us have sung for decades!  It was all very familiar - which can be a good thing, right?

The scripture readings were appropriate and the message was stimulating.  Host (Interim) Pastor Chris Carlson challenged us with inspiring thoughts.  I was particularly moved by his comments (based on Deuteronomy 26:1-12) about giving of the first fruits.  He pointed out that this instruction from God caused the people to act in faith!  They were to give the first fruits of their crops as an offering to the Lord.  They were to give these first fruits without any assurance that the rest of their crops would come with abundance or in good condition.  They were to exercise their faith by putting God first!  We were challenged to do the same!

All in all, the service was wonderful and was attended by a fair group from at least ten different congregations.  We were Methodist, Presbyterians, Catholics, Baptists, Covenenters, and probably a few others;  but Sunday night we were all just people who are grateful to God for His many kindnesses!  I was blessed!  I am blessed!

Personally, I have much to be grateful for!

•   Though deaf in one ear, with the help of hearing aids I can hear.
•   Though I had a torn retina in my right eye about seventeen years ago, I can see with that eye.  Every time I have an eye exam the doctor marvels that the eye still works!
•   I enjoy amazing good health;  typical, age-appropriate aches and pains, but strength and health abound!
•   God faithfully meets all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus!  Debbie and I love our retirement home.  After many years of living in parsonages, we can now put a nail in the wall anywhere we want to!  :-)  His provisions through the Social Security system and the Free Methodist pension program allow us to meet all our monthly needs.  We are abundantly blessed with material possessions!
•   We have friends from literally many nations around the world!  Living for three years with the Changchun University International students built a base of friendships with students from China, Russia, Mongolia, Viet Nam, Korea, the Philippines, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekastan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Thailand, India, Cambodia, South Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Togo, and others.  We still keep in communication with many of these friends!  
•   We have family connections that are deeply meaningful to us!  Deb's family have been a support system for us through the years.  Her siblings are integral to  our lives!  My family has also always been a blessing to us.  We gathered recently for a weekend to make apple butter together.  What a wonderful time we had!
•   We have our children and our precious grandchildren (along with an awesome daughter-in-law and two incredible sons-in-law)!  They mean the world to us!  Our time with them is the most treasured thing we have on this earth!  We live for those moments!
•   We have our faith!  The most intimate thing Debbie and I do together is to pray!  Often it's done late at night or early in the morning as we lay with our arms around each other.  We enjoy sharing our faith with our family, our church and others!  It clearly gives purpose and direction to our lives!
•   And we have each other!  Today, our Thanksgiving meal included turkey, stuffing, corn, sweet potato cassarole, cranberry salad, and mashed potatos.  Later, we'll have some of Debbie's 'blue-ribbon' apple pie!  For the first time in forty-six years it was just the two of us at the table!  And that's okay.  I love her and she loves me.  We love being together!  She's God's greatest blessing to my life!  

So, we're thankful!  Truly thankful!  We came from godly homes and have replicated - by God's grace - that faith into the homes of our children!  What more could we ask for?  

Thank You, Father,

for the grace and mercy You've extended in our direction!

Thank You for filling our cups so full!

Help us to faithfully live to Your honor!

Help us to make a difference in our world!

Help us to love people with abandon!

Help us to be generous!

For Jesus' sake.

Amen.

LIFE CHANGES

That title can be interpreted in different ways:

• It can be descriptive of the changes that can (and do) take place throughout our lives.
• It can also be a statement of action:  life is not static - it changes.

I probably mean it in both ways.

Annually at this season, I write a blog expressing the things that I am thankful for.  This year will be no exception.  But things are different.

I've been retired for a year-and-a-half.  For the first year, I kept very busy working around our new home, putting in a yard, doing landscaping, finishing our two-car-garage, and just generally knocking things off the honey-do-list.  We had to make adjustments financially, but my schedule opened up in new ways that gave me tons of freedom and quantum time alone.  Once, and often twice-a-week, Debbie leaves for twenty-four hours to sit with her aging mother [she and her siblings share this responsibility].  

To say that our lives have changed is a gross understatement.  

This past spring I realized a long-held dream and spent six weeks on the Appalachian Trail.  Whether or not I resume my hike remains to be seen.  But, upon my arrival home, life slowed down.  Much of the work around our home has been completed.  I have begun to struggle to find ways to occupy myself in recent months. 

But don't misread me;  I'm still a very grateful and contented man: 

• I'm forever grateful to God for His patience, provision and kindness!
• I'm thankful for my life's companion and her faithfulness in loving me and sharing the journey.
• I love my kids and take joy in their visits, gifts and texts.  Watching them flesh out their lives is a treat that Debbie and I rejoice in.
• I have two precious grandchildren that bring untold delights!  What a joy!
• These days I'm grateful to the Social Security Administration.  They make a deposit to my bank account every month!
• I'm also grateful to the Free Methodist Church for having a pension plan and executing it so well.  They also make a deposit to my bank account monthly!  
• I love our home:  warm, lovely, comfortable, nice neighbors, great view...
• I have three vehicles - all paid for!  :-)  I now can occasionally be seen driving a Ford F-250 around!  Woo Hoo!  I'm running with the 'big boys' now!  
• At Debbie's instigation, we bought a used fifth-wheel camper this year.  We hope to take it south for some winter months in the future!  
• I have lots of friends - I can prove it, just look at my Facebook page!  😀  But sincerely, we have friends from far-and-wide that we have shared precious times with.  When we have the opportunity to get together (or talk) it's as though no time has passed at all.  I still have occasional contact with my former students and friends from China!  My blog is read regularly in ten different countries!  Our friends have formed us and we're truly grateful!  
• There is finally time to write.  I enjoy blogging and Facebooking, have written a short novel, started a sequel and am documenting my life history for my family.
• As odd as it seems to write, we have Gabe.  He started out to be Deb's puppy, but gradually she showed him less attention and I've shown him more.  Today, he's almost my constant companion!  
• Debbie and I enjoy extended family connections that add value to our lives.  My relationships with my siblings have never been real close - probably because of the age difference.  All through the years, most of my contacts with them have been initiated by me.  But the Whippo family has been part of our foundation!  They're a fun bunch and we know they'd be there for us if we ever had a need - they've proven that in the past!  
• Sixty-six years have accumulated - soon, sixty-seven!  I'm still healthy, strong, and able to enjoy life!  
• Reading is still a joy to me (although double-vision sometimes limits the length of my reading).  I enjoy novels more than ever before. but still read in other areas as well.  Books have always been a tool God uses to sharpen, awaken and grow me!  

I could go on - you know that.  I'm a prosperous man!  

Each stage of life is different.  Life changes.  We have to adapt.  It keeps things interesting.  I'm stretching to discover the ways I can be productive and effective in this new stage of my life.  

Right now, I've very excited that our kids will be home next week to spend four or five days with us! That doesn't happen too often, so you can imagine our anticipation!  Special foods are being planned, gifts are being bought and wrapped, the quads and golf cart are tuned up,  the house is being cleaned and the red carpet is ready to be rolled out!  Our deepest joy will be a reality as our family comes under one roof for a few days!   

So, from our house to your life - may God's peace and joy be so real to you as we close out another year that you too will automatically express your gratitude for all He has done in and through your life!  Blessings...

Thanksgiving 2017

I grew up in New Brighton, Pennsylvania, during the 1960's.  It's a small, western Pennsylvania river town.  My Dad lived there most of his life (except a few years in Beaver Falls - after he married my Mom).  It was a good place to grow up.

My schools:

• Fourth Ward Elementary:  grades 1-4
• Thompson Elementary:  grades 5-6
• N.B. Junior High School:  grades 7-9
• N.B. Senior High School:  grades 10-12

I received an excellent education and am grateful to the many teachers who had a positive influence on my life!  

Small-town communities maintain traditions.  Every year, at that time, the protestants would collaborate on a Community Thanksgiving Worship.  It would move from year-to-year among the various churches in town that could hold the crowd.  This service was held at 10:00 AM on Thanksgiving Day - which had to have been terribly inconvenient for the women who were preparing Thanksgiving feasts!  

Most of the time, our family attended;  there may have been a couple of times that I went with just my father.  It was an amazing experience!  I loved the grand pipe organs of some of the big Presbyterian churches.  The architecture of the Lutheran churches impressed me and the liturgical signs of the United Methodists were intriguing.  The singing of traditional Thanksgiving hymns was part of the experience.  Worshiping with our neighbors was wonderful!  I would see other students from my school there with their parents!  Sometimes that sort of surprised me!   :-)

It was a wonderful time of community spirit anchored in our common faith in an Almighty God!  Love and respect permeated the air!  I miss that...

Each year, like you, I reflect on the things I'm thankful for.  Our lists would probably be somewhat similar.  

• My wife!  Debbie is gone at least one day a week to be with her Mom for 24-hours!  It's amazing how much I miss her companionship those days!  We've been friends since 1968 (married for 44 of them).  We've shared lots of joy and some pain together.  She's been patient with me.  We continue to love sharing our lives on a daily basis!  It's hard to comprehend what it will be like next spring when I leave her for months to hike the Appalachian Trail...
• Our children!  We've been texting today about how much we enjoyed Travis' abilities in the kitchen!  He was such a source of pride and joy in our lives!  He blessed us by spending holidays with us well into his adult life!  We miss him terribly.  Troy and Missy have bought a new house;  we're so excited for them!  They live less than ten minutes from us!  They're caught up in lots of improvements on the house as they seek to "make it their own"!  It's such a comfort for us to have Troy close by.  Tracie and Jon live in Connecticut.  We get to see them a bit more now that we're retired, but it's still a long trip.  We're so proud of Jon and his accomplishments in the Navy.  Tracie is an amazing wife and mother.  And Rylie and Coltin are so special to us!  
• Our home!  We've lived in many different parsonages and homes over the years.  Most of them, we were a bit reluctant to put holes in the wall or suggest structural changes, because it didn't really belong to us.  So, you can imagine our joy at now having our OWN HOME!  We are so comfortably snuggled into the hillside in Heron Woods (in Enon Valley).  We're only a couple miles from the farm where Deb grew up!  Four of her sisters and two brothers live minutes away.  Our home is surrounded by tall pines and we overlook two small lakes that are teeming with fish!  
• Our friends!  Although we have not cultivated many close friends, we enjoy a wide circle of caring support that reaches literally around the world!  At times of loss or difficulty, we have been so generously supported in prayer and with other expressions of love and thoughtfulness.  

Both of us were raised in Christian homes and appreciate the tremendous advantages that were ours as a result!  That foundation was so important;  we tried to pass that favor along to our kids!

I've been so favored throughout my life!  I've tried to respond with a generous heart as a result.  I'm so thankful for the freedoms I've enjoyed that came at such a high cost by many in our military!  I will always stand to honor this country and our flag.  My earliest memory is of my Dad taking me to a Veteran's Day parade (when I was three) and teaching me to take off my hat when the flag went by!  It's deeply ingrained in me!

But most of all, I'm thankful for God's grace!  I am so aware of how inadequate I am and how completely undeserving I am of what He has done for me.  I'm continually overwhelmed by His patience and long-suffering!  He should have given up on me long ago, but He still keeps pursuing me and calling me.  I'm forever grateful!  

Although Thanksgiving is not celebrated in China, many of my former students have been texting me with messages over recent hours!  Their innocence, hope, creativity and joy were such a blessing to me!  We've had numerous conversations with them since last night and feel so privileged to have lived and walked among them for three years!  

Even though we've settled in here at Heron Woods, we still have an adventurous spirit!  We're a little anchored right now because of Debbie's participation in caring for her mother, but don't be surprised if someday you hear that we've headed off to some foreign point on another life-adventure under God's grace and guidance.

For now, I'm counting my blessings - naming them one by one.  And I'm GRATEFUL!  

Beaches...

It's 6:00 AM here in Kenohe, Hawaii, and I've been out walking for an hour already. Slowly, I'm being joined by others - mostly cyclists. The morning beach walkers will start arriving now  it's almost light enough to read a book.

I've enjoyed the alone time. 

What is it about a beach that opens your mind and heart for reflection?  A good campfire has the same effect. 

For me, times like this always lead me to prayers of thanksgiving and praise. 

You wouldn't be surprised that I was thanking God for Travis. From the day when we counted his toes and kissed his little nose, we've loved him. 

It's been a hoot to hear his work associates talk about (and mimic) the faces Travis made if you tried to make him think before 9:00AM.  One of his seal-friends had his look down pat, and had even nick-named him 'grumpy butt'.

Travis gave us amazing opportunities for travel and took us to such interesting places!  Debbie and I (like so many others) dreamed of taking our kids to Disney World;  but it never happened. Finances were always too tight. However, Travis did get to go with my sister, Beverly (and Dick and Heather and Aunt Peggy). 

Then came irony. Five years ago, Travis and Troy took me and Debbie to Disney World for one of the most enjoyable days of our lives!  :-)

I was also thanking God for Debbie - a virtuous wife!  Our journey hasn't been without bumps. But she's been very steady.  She has been so good at creating comfort zones for me!  For instance, our home;  it has always been my refuge. 

She's given me freedom to get away to think and pray. (Sometimes, she's even pushed me out the door saying, "You need to go for a hike!"  Ha ha ha...)

And she's bold in her faith. Over and over again - while in China - she turned the conversation into a testimony. As a result, she's personally responsible for several students giving their lives to Christ!

Just last week, she testified to her hope of Heaven to a room full of Travis' friends as they wheeled him past us to the operating room. And as she did so, these friends gathered around her in a semicircle to listen. 

Let there be no mistake about it - I married up!  

All this from an early morning walk on the beach.  

Let it be known to all that I am a grateful man!  My life has been littered with friends who have given me far more than I've given them. Just yesterday, two men went to our trailer and installed four new windows that will make us much warmer this winter. What did I do to deserve this sort of kindness?  Nothing!  It's all grace!

Thank You, Lord, for Your great grace - which is new every morning!  Where would I be if it wasn't for You?  How can I say thanks...?

MY CUP IS FULL AND RUNNING OVER

It's hard for me to imagine that there could be a man in this world who is more grateful to God this morning than I am!  As I reflect over the last few days, I am overwhelmed with a sense of God's goodness! 

I stood in a small circle after worship yesterday with my brother Ira (and his wife, Joyce) and my sister Beverly (and her husband, Dick).  Together, we thanked God for our parents:  Leonard and Hazel Haire.  We are all well aware of how solidly they launched us into life by their Christian example.

I have an amazing wife!  Debbie was surely designed by God specifically for me!  She has comforted me, encouraged me, served me, blessed me, and shared life with me for a long time!  Her family has been a constant source of blessing to us!  We have fun being together and I'd rather spend time with her than anyone else in this world! 

I spent a whole week with our three kids!  We had so much fun surrounding Troy and Missy's wedding!  It was a week-long party!  I love my kids so much and am so proud of them!  They make my life go 'round!  Probably more than anything else in this world, I want Travis, Troy, and Tracie to be with me forever in Heaven!

Our families gathered around us this weekend to share our joy!  Both the Haire's and the Whippo's set their personal agendas aside to help us rejoice with Troy and Missy.  Some of them travelled long distances and took on significant expenses to participate.  And boy, did we party!

Our friends came from near and far to celebrate with us.  We are friend-rich!  So many connections from so many sources.  We were overwhelmed by having so many of them in the same room with us on Saturday.  It added to our joy significantly.  How we wish we could spend time with each of them individually!

I also had lots of time with Rylie and Coltin!  Feeling their arms around my neck takes me instantly back to when our kids were little - it's like magic!  They bring me so much joy and satisfaction.  There is no better feeling than receiving their innocent, sincere love!  They are precious to me!

And to top it off, I have a wonderful church family!  Our worship time yesterday was off-the-charts!  They also gathered with us to add to the joy over the weekend!  We had an amazing time and I felt the power of their prayer throughout the whole weekend! 

Let it be known to all:  living for and serving God is the only way to go!  God has been so good to me!  And I don't deserve any of it.  It's all grace!  And I will forever live with a desire to express my gratitude to Him!  Thank You, Lord!

GRATITUDE

A lack of gratitude is a terrible thing.  Good parents work with their children early to teach them to say "Thank-you."  I'm always amused when you give a child a piece of candy and the mother says to the child, "What do you say?"  After several promptings, the child says, "I'm sorry!"

A lack of gratitude leads to an attitude of entitlement.  And if left long enough, it turns into bitterness and anger.

Gratitude is so important!

One Christmas, a parent decreed that she was no longer going to remind her children of their thank-you note duties.  As a result, their grandmother never received acknowledgements for the generous checks she had given.

The next year things were different, however.  "The children came over in person to thank me," the Grandma told a friend triumphantly.

 "How wonderful!" the friend exclaimed.  What do you think caused the change in behavior?"

"Oh, that's easy," the Grandmother replied.  "This year I didn't sign the checks."

We all appreciate gratitude when it's expressed to us.  Don't you imagine that God also appreciates a thankful heart?

I spoke with a friend this week and asked him if he was having a good day.  He told me that every day he wakes up and can move his hands is a good day!  Do you feel that way?  Do you regularly give thanks to God for the blessings and protection that He's given you?

I send out thank-you notes.  I want people to know how much I appreciate their contributions to what we do at Free Methodist Community Church.  I am often thanked for these notes.  To be honest, I receive a lot of thank-you notes too.  They encourage me.  I keep them and look over them from time-to-time.

Have you noticed that when people are truly grateful it makes you want to do even more for them?

Wouldn't it be great if you could develop a discipline of giving thanks to God?

My childhood, bedtime prayer:

Now I lay me down to sleep.  I pray the Lord my soul to keep.  God bless Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Jeannette and Lib, Tommy and Bobby, Beverly and Ira and everybody in the world.  Help Harold be a good boy.  Amen.

My prayers are longer and more thorough now,  and hopefully more meaningful. 

How about yours?  Does God know how grateful you are for all the blessings He's poured into your life?  Do we really need a national holiday to remind us to give thanks to God?  Don't you think He might like to hear it regularly?

The scripture says:  Give thanks to the Lord for He is good - His love endures forever!

THE SECOND AND THIRD AMERICAN THANKSGIVINGS

The Pilgrims didn't have an official Thanksgiving in 1622.  Thanksgiving was not a ritual for them.  It was not a date on a calendar to be observed.  For whatever reasons, they simply did not officially give thanks in 1622.

However, in 1623, they experienced a terrible drought.  The summer came and passed with no relief.  Governor William Bradford's diary reports that no rain fell between the third week of May and late July.  It was unbelievably hot!  Everything nearly dried up and died.  In response to this crisis they had a gathering to call on God's mercy.  It was a day of fasting and prayer in which they humbled themselves before Almighty God. 

Read Bradley's report:  (made contemporary)

...all morning, and the greatest part of that day, it was clear weather and very hot - not a cloud or any sign of rain to be seen.  Yet toward evening it began to become overcast.  Shortly after that it began to rain.  It rained with such sweet and gentle showers that they immediately rejoiced and blessed God.  The rains came without wind or thunder;  with no violence at all, and yet with great abundance so that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked.  It revived the decayed corn and other fruits.  It was so wonderful to see, that it made even the Indians marvel.  After this, the Lord sent them consistent, seasonable showers, with interchange of fair, warm weather, so through His blessing, they enjoyed a fruitful and liberal harvest.  There was great comfort and rejoicing.  So much so that they set apart another day of thanksgiving and rejoicing. 

HAL'S NOTE:
It's interesting that they were thankful because there had been a hardship and because they had put their trust in God and because God had clearly answered their prayers and provided for their needs. 

Notice, the previous year had been a normal year, and they did not have a Thanksgiving that year.  But when hardship came, when drought came, when they were forced to depend on God, they became thankful!

Are you thankful to God even when times have been tough?

A Thanksgiving Poem for those who ate too much!

Artwork by Rylie Grace Kerstetter  
[Hal's granddaughter!  :-)

Things I'm Thankful For Today

A quick assessment:

• I'm not in the hospital
• The church pays someone to cut my grass
• My car is in running condition
• Our bank account has money in it
• I have a job
• I can read
• I have numerous sets of shoes
• I will eat today
• I live in the United States of America
• I sleep in a bed
• Our home has air conditioning
• My wife loves me
• I have friends
• We have no credit card debt
• Christ has forgiven me for my sin

Take two minutes and put your own list together...