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Thanksgiving 2020 Installment IV -Thankful in All Circumstances

The third step in a successful Christian life is to be thankful in all circumstances. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

This is the fourth and final installment of my Thanksgiving 2020 message. It focuses on the third step in Paul’s stairway to a richer, fuller Christian life found in I Thessalonians 5:16-18. “In everything, give thanks.” [KJV]

The first thing we need to note about this injunction is that it says to be thankful in all and not for all. This makes a world of difference.  Remember, the first step was to “rejoice always.” God wants us to be joyful.

Although we are called to suffer for the cause of Christ, we are not called to be masochists. Masochists cannot escape cycles of self-defeat. They find it impossible to enjoy pleasure without guilt or shame accompanying it. They feel hopeless about the future.

Jesus forewarned His disciples of their coming trials if they followed Him. This image from The Bible in Pictures by Bihn and Bealings is in the public domain.

The Apostles were all aware of what was in their future. Jesus had clearly told them that they would suffer for his cause. 

If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.  [Matthew 16:24-28, NKJV]

This photograph of an angel leading Peter out of prison while guards slept is a faithful reproduction of the 17th-century painting by Pieter de Hooch. Since the original painting is in the public domain, this image is also in the public domain.

The Apostle Peter knew first hand about the trials and hardships that followers of Christ would suffer. According to Acts 12, Peter was imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa. Peter was awaiting sure persecution and possible execution. As the church prayed fervently, an angel miraculously saved him by walking him out past two guard posts and through an unlocked gate. In his letter to Christians in the far-flung expanses of the Roman empire, he wrote.

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? [I Peter 4:12-17, NIV]

This photographic image is a copy of a page from the 19th-century Dore’s English Bible. It depicts the aftermath of the shipwreck of Paul described in Acts 27. Since the original work is public domain due to age, this faithful photographic reproduction is also public domain.

Paul’s journey as a minister of the gospel was not a walk in the park. In his first letter to the Corinthian church, he graphically described the trials he had endured.

Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

Despite the number or extent of our difficulties, we can always find reasons to thank God. They are outlined through all of the scriptures.

We can be thankful that all things work together for good if we are faithful followers of Him.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. [Romans 8:28, NIV]

This photograph is a faithful reproduction of the 17th-century painting “An Apostle” by Jacob Jordaens. Although not explicitly the Apostle Paul, the subject is in a pose that certainly illustrates an individual pleading with God. The individual’s chin is resting on the palm of one hand. The other hand is holding up the arm of the first hand. Since the original work of art is in the public domain, this image is in the public domain.

We know that no matter what our circumstances, God’s grace is sufficient to carry us through them.

…There was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for My strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Corinthians 12:7-9, KJV]

When trials come, we can be thankful that nothing can separate us from God’s love. 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:35-39, NIV]

In II King’s 6, Elisha and his servant are surrounded by the army of Aram. Elisha’s servant is terrified. Elisha tried to calm him by saying, “There are more on our side. Look out the window.” MoodyPublishers/FreeBibleImages.org copyrights this image. It is used by permission.

Just a few verses before this passage is the answer to the essence of Israel’s question. In any fight against evil and pain, who do you want on your side and in your corner?

What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? [Romans 8:31, KJV]

This concept is not just a New Testament idea.  When Paul says, “It is written,” he is quoting Psalm 44. This Psalm is a song of communal lament sung in the temple. Several times in their history, the people of Israel believed that God has forsaken or forgotten them because of the many trials and hardships they were facing. However, the song and Psalm concludes that God is still where He has always been. He is awake, in charge of the universe, and loves them. Since they still have access to Him, they cry out.

Rise up and help us; rescue us because of your unfailing love.[Psalm 44:26, NIV]

What do you do when this world’s troubles seem to overwhelm God’s presence and help? This is the theme of the book of Habakkuk. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

This Psalm reminds me of the opening complaint of the prophet Habakkuk. 

How long, Lord, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save? Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrongdoing? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.  [Habakkuk 1:2-4, KJV]

God’s response to Habakkuk’s grievance could be an echo of His response to Israel’s complaint.  

Then the Lord said to me, “Write my answer plainly on tablets, so that a runner can carry the correct message to others. This vision is for a future time. It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed. Look at the proud! They trust in themselves, and their lives are crooked. But the righteous will live by their faithfulness to God. [Habakkuk 2:2-4, NTL]

The last phrase, “The just shall live by faith,” is quoted three times in the New Testament. The three quotes provide three different perspectives and contexts to the idea of “living by faith.”

A paper bag over one’s head has become the universal sign of shame. This is not Paul because he is declaring his intention of not hiding his head under a bag. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

Paul quotes Habakkuk as he begins his letter to the Christians living in Rome with the very familiar verses.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteous of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. [Romans 1:16-17, KJV]

Paul is obviously referring to the gospel and salvation. Thus, the life mentioned here is eternal life, which is available to us only by faith.

In Paul’s letter to the churches in Galatia, he again references the Old Testament precept in the middle of a discourse on the ineffectiveness of reliance on the law for justification, or right standing before God.

Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.”The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.”Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.”He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit. [Galatians 3:10-14, NIV]

What did it take to be included in Faith’s Hall of Fame? Perseverance! This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The third time the phrase is quoted occurs in Hebrews in the author’s introduction to his delineation of the Old Testament Faith’s Hall of Fame. 

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what He has promised. For “In just a little while, He who is coming will come and will not delay.” And, “But my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back.” But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.[Hebrews 10:35-39, NIV]

This passage is obviously referring to the perseverance and sanctification of the saints. We can continue to live and be made holy by continuing in the faith.

Faith is the only way to find salvation, justification, and sanctification. This chart was created by the author using ClickCharts.

Thus, faith is our only avenue to salvation [eternal life], the forgiveness of sins [justification], and freedom from the power of sin [santicification]. Faith is how we entered into a relationship with God through Jesus. It is also how that relationship grows and deepens. We must thank God for his faithfulness and for giving us the faith to believe.

Throughout scriptures, there are many other reasons to thank God in every circumstance. In this post, I will focus on one more. The ideas of praising, worshipping, and thanking God are inextricably linked together. They are woven into one fabric that cannot be separated.

Psalm 100, one of the most loved and well-known Psalms, captures the essence of this idea. It is the only Psalm with the short and sweet inscription, “A psalm of thanksgiving.”

 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations. [Psalm 100, KJV]

Since this Psalm invites and demands that we sing unto the Lord, I will close this post with two hymns that encapsulate the idea of thanking God in everything.

This is a photograph of an 18th-century portrait of Charles Wesley. As a faithful reproduction of a public domain work of art due to age, this image is public.

The first is one of 6500 hymns composed by Charles Wesley, an 18th-century Methodist minister. Since Wesley didn’t always title his hymns, this one goes by two titles, “And can it be” or “Amazing love!” These titles come from the opening lines of the first verse and the refrain.

And can it be that I should gain
An int’rest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

    • Refrain:
      Amazing love! How can it be,
      That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

  2. ’Tis myst’ry all: th’ Immortal dies:
    Who can explore His strange design?
    In vain the firstborn seraph tries
    To sound the depths of love divine.
    ’Tis mercy all! Let earth adore,
    Let angel minds inquire no more.

  3. He left His Father’s throne above—
    So free, so infinite His grace—
    Emptied Himself of all but love,
    And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
    ’Tis mercy all, immense and free,
    For, O my God, it found out me!

  4. Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
    Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
    Thine eye diffused a quick’ning ray—
    I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
    My chains fell off, my heart was free,
    I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

  5. No condemnation now I dread;
    Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;
    Alive in Him, my living Head,
    And clothed in righteousness divine,
    Bold I approach th’ eternal throne,
    And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Picture of Cliff Barrows, Billy Graham, and George Beverly Shea at a Rally in Dallas, Texas. This photograph is from the Billy Graham Association.

The second hymn was voted as the second most all-time favorite hymn in a Christianity Today survey in 2001. It is based on a poem written by Carl Boberg in 1885 and set to music using a traditional Swedish melody. The English version came to us, as the original Swedish version was translated into German and then Russian by missionaries. It was translated into English by Stuart K. Hine. During Billy Graham’s England crusades, George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows worked with Hine on an arrangement that they could use as an introductory piece. With all that information, you probably have guessed that it is the hymn How Great Thou Art. 

O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made,
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed:
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
And when I think that God, His Son not sparing,
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration.
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee:
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee;
How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
How great Thou art!

 

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Thanksgiving Message 2020

This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

To all those trolls, doubters, and critics out there, I really can read a calendar. I know that December has begun, and we are two weeks beyond the official Thanksgiving holiday.

However, the past several months in our home have been a whirlwind.  I didn’t get started on this post until the Monday after Thanksgiving. I am posting it now because I believe it has some great news that I want everyone to know. Thus, I thought it was better to post it late than never. 

Lymphoma can take a vibrant person and make them an invalid in a matter of a very few months. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

First, that important news concerns Elaine, my wife of more than a half-century! If you follow me on Twitter or like By’s Musings on Facebook, you know that since early spring,  Elaine has been battling a very aggressive Grade 3-B form of non-Hodgkin’s follicular lymphoma. Complicating the issue was the reoccurrence of her previously dormant Type II Diabetes and a brand new anemia case. It took several months, many blood tests, and two biopsies (one needle and one surgical) to diagnose the full extent of her problem.

With the genetic material obtained from the surgical biopsy, her cancer specialists were able to identify the particular DNA of her lymphoma. With this information, they could formulate the proper drug cocktail to terminate this gruesome invader.  Her team of doctors selected a mixture that consisted of four killer drugs. Reading the advisory sheets on each of the drugs, I divided them into two separate categories of special forces warriors.

This image is the international sniper emblem, consisting of a view of the crosshairs as seen thru the scope of a sniper’s rifle. This image is in the public domain and is available on Wikimedia Commons.

One of the drugs I classified as a sniper. Its job was to seek out follicular-shaped cells and kill only those cells. This drug definitely targets the bad guys. However, unfortunately, follicular cells are also included in certain “good organs” like hair.

The other three drugs were more like machine gunners. Their job was to mow down anything that multiplied rapidly. If it was duplicating itself quickly, these drugs knocked them out. Follicular lymphoma cells multiply extremely rapidly.

This combination of forces is a very lethal and effective combination for almost any battle. Elaine’s doctors selected a potent sniper drug to be the lead combatant in this particular firefight.

In the early stages of her lymphoma, Elaine lost almost 40 pounds. By early summer, she weighed significantly under 100 pounds. Since she was inordinately thin, her doctors didn’t think the veins in her arms could tolerate the required chemotherapy regimen’s multiple infusions. After her first treatment, the doctors suggested a surgically inserted infusion port in her upper chest region get around this.  

IV drip bags for chemotherapy. Each six-hour treatment consisted of six bags of drugs in a saline solution—this image courtesy of Presenter Media.

From early summer to mid-fall, Elaine was scheduled for six rounds of chemotherapy. The first treatment was such a shock to her systems that she ended up in the hospital for a week, with confusion, disorientation, and an extremely high fever. Using IV antibiotics, corticosteroids, and NSAIDS, the doctors were able to control the fever and eliminate the confusion and disorientation to such an extent that, together with the covid protocols imposed by our local hospital, the infusion port could be surgically implanted.

The doctors changed her chemotherapy dosage for the remaining five treatments, and Elaine had no further problems. With each subsequent treatment, more of her blood markers moved into the normal or acceptable ranges. At each step, she showed noticeable improvement.

Elaine’s final scheduled treatment was the week before Halloween. After that infusion, all 32 of her blood markers were in the normal range. Starting with the fourth infusion, she began regaining weight and energy. By early November, her weight was back up in the range of 105 pounds. Thankfully, it has continued to increase to the midteens in early December.

Elaine’s team of doctors scheduled a PET scan the second week of November to see if there was any cancer activity in her lymph glands. One week later, we got the great news that all of her lymph glands were dark on the scan.

A PET scanner is used to track active cancer cells. An MRI will show the details of the Pituitary gland. This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

The only blip on the radar screen was a glow in her pituitary gland. Her primary oncologist believes this is a harmless, residual effect of the chemotherapy. He said he was extremely pleased to be able to say that Elaine’s cancer was in remission.

However, to do due diligence, he ordered an MRI of the pituitary gland. With the COVID-19 problems in our area, the earliest it could be scheduled is the first week of January. In the meantime, we thank God and rejoice in the results so far. We now must patiently sit and wait until January for the next steps in this journey.

A photograph of a late 15th-century version of the Apostle Paul by painter Bartolomeo Mantangna. The original work is currently in the Poldi Pioli Museum in Milan, Italy. As a faithful reproduction of a work of art in the public domain, this image is in the public domain. It is available courtesy of the Smithsonian Associates.

It is easy to be thankful when all is good. However, a quick look at scriptures gives us a different picture of Thanksgiving from God’s view. The verse noted in the opening graphic, I Thessalonians 5:18 tells us that we are to give thanks “in all circumstances.”

The Apostle Paul presents three difficult commands to the church in Thessalonica and modern Christians in the trio of verses, I Thessalonians 5:16-18. In the first century AD, Thessalonica was the cultural, economic, religious, and political center of a large region in Northern Greece. It had a very diverse population of Jews and Gentiles from all over Europe, Asia, Asia Minor, and even Africa.

In this city teeming with multitudes of religions, Paul helped plant a church while visiting it on his second missionary journey. In the I Thessalonians letter, he refers to the congregation as his children. In writing to this fairly young church with a crowd of recent converts, Paul pulls no punches in laying out God’s demands on these children of God. Our heavenly Father has three great expectations and hopes for his children.

Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18, NLT)

Okay, you’re balancing three tasks. Now how do you do any of them? This image is courtesy of Presenter Media.

How good are you at multi-tasking? These three commands are heavy-duty obligations. They are definitely not in the same category as using a laptop, tablet, and cell phone. However, when you’re trying to balance all three at one time, how effective are you with any of them? Fortunately, we don’t have to depend upon our own strength to fulfill the three responsibilities God has given us. What God asks us to do, He will help us do. God has promised His assistance and supplied us a Helper in His Holy Spirit.

From the I Thessalonians 5:16-18 passage, what are God’s expectations of His children? They should: 

1) Rejoice always

2) Pray without ceasing

3) Give thanks in all circumstances 

I began this post with the idea of including an exposition of each of these duties. As I composed the post, it kept getting longer and longer. As an editor once chided me, “You suffer from the dreaded Russian novel syndrome.” Half-way through writing about the third responsibility, I decided to cut bait and divided the post into four reasonably length posts. Thus, installments II thru IV of my 2020 Thanksgiving Message will come out daily over the next three days. Stay tuned for those next segments.  

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Is the United States a Christian nation? A Tale of Three Thanksgiving Proclamations

The question of whether the United States is or was founded as a Christian nation has been fiercely debated since at least the middle of the 20th Century. Some historians believe that many of the founding fathers of the colonies were Christians or heavily influenced by Christian traditions. Other historians have argued that the predominant influence among the founding fathers was that of deism. One of the seemingly strongest arguments against the Christian nation premise is the first amendment to the Constitution:  Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Does this, as some have suggested, build an impenetrable wall of separation between the federal government and religion? 

In order to help answer this thorny question, I thought it would be helpful to reflect on the official history of Thanksgiving in the United States. Thanksgiving is an official U.S. holiday, although for many, it is essentially a religious celebration.The unofficial history of Thanksgiving traces its roots back to the first settlers of this new world in the early seventeenth century. The first official national Thanksgiving celebration occurred almost 2 centuries later in 1789, as a result of a proclamation by George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Thanksgiving Proclamation

Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789
By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”
Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
Go. Washington

 

Among the next 14 presidents, only Adams and Madison followed Washington’s example and issued proclamations declaring a day of Thanksgiving. It wasn’t until October 3, 1863, in honor of Congress’ establishment of an annual National Day of Thanksgiving, that President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November would be a national day of Thanksgiving for our bountiful blessings.

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863

By the President of the United States of America.

A Proclamation.

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

William H. Seward,
Secretary of State

SInce LIncoln’s 1863 Proclamation, every one of his successors have issued a Thanksgiving Day Proclamation. The content of these proclamations have varied greatly. However, almost every one of the proclamations implores  citizenry to humbly express gratitude to a superior being for all of his gifts to this great land.  One recent proclamation seems to be a break in this tradition.

WASHINGTON — THANKSGIVING DAY , 2009

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, A PROCLAMATION

What began as a harvest celebration between European settlers and indigenous communities nearly four centuries ago has become our cherished tradition of Thanksgiving. This day’s roots are intertwined with those of our Nation, and its history traces the American narrative.

Today, we recall President George Washington , who proclaimed our first national day of public thanksgiving to be observed “by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God,” and President Abraham Lincoln , who established our annual Thanksgiving Day to help mend a fractured Nation in the midst of civil war. We also recognize the contributions of Native Americans, who helped the early colonists survive their first harsh winter and continue to strengthen our Nation. From our earliest days of independence, and in times of tragedy and triumph, Americans have come together to celebrate Thanksgiving.

As Americans, we hail from every part of the world. While we observe traditions from every culture, Thanksgiving Day is a unique national tradition we all share. Its spirit binds us together as one people, each of us thankful for our common blessings.

As we gather once again among loved ones, let us also reach out to our neighbors and fellow citizens in need of a helping hand. This is a time for us to renew our bonds with one another, and we can fulfill that commitment by serving our communities and our Nation throughout the year. In doing so, we pay tribute to our country’s men and women in uniform who set an example of service that inspires us all. Let us be guided by the legacy of those who have fought for the freedoms for which we give thanks, and be worthy heirs to the noble tradition of goodwill shown on this day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA , President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States , do hereby proclaim Thursday, November 26, 2009, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I encourage all the people of the United States to come together, whether in our homes, places of worship, community centers, or any place where family, friends and neighbors may gather, with gratitude for all we have received in the past year; to express appreciation to those whose lives enrich our own; and to share our bounty with others.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

– Barack Obama

I encourage my readers to take some time this holiday season to reflect on their own concept of Thanksgiving. Look around you. Do you not see the handiwork of a creator and sustainer all around? Look at all your possessions and all you have done. Can you claim any of that is truly your own doing?

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IS THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AN ANACHRONISM? THANKSGIVING RECONSIDERED!

I ended my most recent post Why Organizations Need a Chief Eleemosynary Officer noting that my next post would be focused on the meaning and celebration of Thanksgiving. When I did that I did not have in mind that I would go so far as to suggest that the way we currently celebrate Thanksgiving may have lost its meaning. Has it become a chronological inconsistency?

This post is appearing  more than a month later than I had originally planned. A number of things have contributed to this delay. The most significant of those things included additional medical problems that began the Friday before Thanksgiving and have continued through the present. I can briefly described my medical concerns by saying, “The shocks are back.” I am again experiencing sensations which feel like 120-volt electric shocks in various spots on my body. I will have a more detailed description of what’s going on next calendar year, after all the medical testing is done. I hope that I can whet your appetite for my next post by quoting one doctor in the emergency room that I was forced to visit shortly after Thanksgiving, who said, “You’re the most interesting and complicated patient that I have ever met in an ER.”

Also delaying my post were five blog post announcements that I received during or shortly after the traditional Thanksgiving season.  After reading them, I just had to take time to mentally process them. These announcements or blog posts were from five very different sources. However, they all expressed something of a common theme. These emails started me thinking that we may have missed the boat with the way we currently celebrate Thanksgiving.

The first was the Thanksgiving post from Rick Warren, the famous pastor of Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California, and author of “The Purpose Driven Church” and “The Purpose Driven Life.” Pastor Warren begins his post Quick Study: Be Thankful in Tough Times with Paul’s admonition to the church at Philippi: “Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4 KJV). Warren, echoing Paul,  encourages Christians to be joyful! We should be joyful, not just in the good times, but always. He outlines a four-part program for a joyful life. 1) Don’t worry about anything: Jesus provides us the first step in the middle of His Sermon on the Mount: “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:34 KJV); 2) Pray about everything:  Paul  urged the Christians in Philippi to bring all their concerns to God: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. (Phiippians 4:6 KJV); 3) Thank God in all things: The previously mentioned verse reminds us to include thanks in every prayer. However, Paul was even more specific in his instructions to the church in Thessalonica: ” In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV)); 4) Think about the right things: Paul concluded his instructions to the church in Philippi with the following counsel: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 KJV). Thus Warren’s post reminded me that Thanksgiving is not seasonally dependent. It is a full-time responsibility for every Christian. Worry is a non-starter. We are to think about the good things, but we are to be thankful for everything in our lives, not just the good things. The immediate conclusion: Thanksgiving must not be relegated to one day a year.

The second announcement  was for Tara Fall’s Thanksgiving post in her FindingStrengthtToStandAgain’sBlog Overcoming obstacles with Optimism. Tara is a beautiful and mentally tough young woman who can’t remember what she or anyone else looks like. She suffers from prosopagnosia, face blindness., the after effect of a very serious stroke some years ago. Face blindness is a neurological problem in which the individual does not have the ability to recognize or distinguish faces. How would you react to the fact that you could not pick your spouse, parent or child out of a crowd, without hearing them speak?  Cheerfulness and optimism are not usually the first two words that come to mind. Please do not get me wrong. Tara is not cheerful because she can’t recognize her husband or children. She is cheerful because she has the opportunity to experience the love and presence of her family. Tara’s Thanksgiving post was entitled “Challenge: Share Your Gratitude.”  She began her post referencing Facebook’s MOG-Month of Gratitude. In this new Thanksgiving tradition, Facebook users were to do a daily post for thirty straight days sharing something about which they should be grateful. Since I am not on Facebook, I was not aware of their proposal for this new custom. I have no idea how many Facebook users participated. My hat’s off to those who did. For those of us not adventurous enough, or who for other reasons chose not to participate in Facebook, Tara had another challenge for us.  She asked us to think of a few people who touched our lives in some way and to write them a hand written note of gratitude. I close this section of my post with Tara’s own words, because she says it best: “I’m asking you, challenging you, to contact someone who has touched your life. Say thank you. Expressing gratitude and impacting lives should not be restricted only to the thirty days in November.”

The third is the Thanksgiving post of Linda McDaniel Smith in her blog “TheVillageSmith” entitled The Miracle of Squanto; God Moves in Mysterious Ways.  Linda is a Christian blogger who writes about books, movies, life in general and her life in particular, and God’s interactions with this world and its people. If you enjoy down home writing about real people, you would enjoy reading TheVillageSmith. In Linda’s Thanksgiving post, she introduces us to Squanto, a little known hero in the story of the Pilgrim founding of the Plymouth colony. She begins her post by quoting a Wall Street Journal oped piece by Eric Metaxas, the New York Times #1 bestselling author of Bonhoeffer, Miracles,Seven Women, Seven Men, and Amazing Grace.

“His [Squanto] story is astonishing, even raising profound questions about God’s role in American history”.

Squanto is credited with saving the Pilgrims from starvation and freezing. Can you imagine their surprise when this young, native American came walking out of the forest near the Plymouth colony and introduced himself in perfect English?  He went on to teach the Pilgrims how to plant corn and how to survive the harsh New England winters. He was also instrumental in arranging a peace treaty between the English and the Native Americans. How did he know the English language? By 1619, he had already crossed the Atlantic four times. He, along with four other Native Americans, were captured by the English explorer George Weymouth in 1605. They were taken to England, where they were taught English and became a sensation among London’s society. He returned to his native land, only to be captured by another English excursion, taken to Spain, where he was sold into slavery. He was helped to escape by Franciscan Monks. He learned about Christ from the Franciscans and became a Christian. He again returned to American in time to greet the pilgrims. Linda closes her post with the following Thanksgiving greeting:

Happy Thanksgiving. God raised up a native man out of the wilderness, educated him, sent him across the world, and brought him back for His purpose. Sadly, Squanto lost his people, but gained a nation, America.

In spite of the injustices done to him, Squanto helped the English settlers survive and thrive in his land. He had a thankful heart, because through them he found the one true God. He no longer had to live out his name, which meant “Wrath of God.”

The fourth Thanksgiving post, How to Be Thankful For Your Life by Changing Just One Word, was from James Clear, one of the world’s foremost experts on habits. James begins his short post by asking readers to think about all the things they have to do. What do you have to do today? What do you have to do this week? What do you have to do to get ready for Christmas? James claims that this perspective is all wrong and by changing just one word individuals can reclaim the joy of life. He challenges readers to “imagine changing just one word” in those nagging questions.

 You don’t “have” to. You “get” to.

What do you get to do today? What do you get to do this week? What do you get to do to get ready for Christmas? Suddenly tasks are no longer burdens, they are opportunities. James closes his post by reminding us that, “So often, the things we view as work are actually the rewards.” What rewards do you get to reap in the coming days?

The fifth blog post Days of Gratitude was from the Oliver Sacks Foundation announcing a 12 Days of Gratitude campaign honoring the memory of Dr. Oliver Sacks. Dr. Sacks was a world renowned scientist, physician, author and professor of neurology at the NYU School of Medicine. He was the New York Times Best Selling author of the books Awakenings  and The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat. The foundation noted that this was “a remarkable year, one of sadness and joy, but above all, thankfulness for Dr. Sacks’s full and remarkable life.” Dr, Sacks last book, Gratitude, was published this November, just months after his death on August 30, 2015. It brought  ” together in one volume four gemlike essays written over the last two years of his life and first read by millions worldwide in The New York Times.”  These four inspiring essays were written in the final months of his life. In these essays Dr. Sacks reflects on growing old, coming to terms with mortality, and—most importantly—being thankful for the gift of living one’s own life. The Foundation challenges readers to think about the things for which they are grateful and to share those thoughts about life, death and gratitude on the Foundation’s Facebook and Twitter pages.

I challenge my readers to be grateful for what they have and what they get to do. Thanksgiving Day and the month of November and Facebook’s MOG (Month Of Gratitude) is over. However, it is not too late to pick up a pen and paper and write someone in your life a note of gratitude. It’s not too late to thank someone personally for their acts of kindness toward you. It’s not too late to change the title on your TO DO LIST to GET TO DO LIST. I challenge my readers to post something for which they are grateful in the Reply or Comment portion of this blog.

Celebrating Thanksgiving one day a year is not bad. (People who know me, know that I enjoy turkey and stuffing as much, if not more, than the next guy.)  However, forgetting about giving Thanks and being grateful the remainder of the year is wrong. Let’s celebrate Thanksgiving all year long! Be ready always with those two magical words, “Thank you.”