Thanksgiving Day

 

"We pray for the big things, and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not so small) blessings.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I will say, rejoice; show patience and consideration to all, for the Lord is always near.   Let nothing make you anxious; but with prayer, and by supplication, and with thanksgiving, let your needs be made known unto God; and the peace of the Lord, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds, in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:4-7

"I do 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."

Abraham Lincoln, Proclamation of Thanksgiving, Washington D.C., October 3, 1863

“Man has places in his heart which do not yet exist— and into them enters suffering, in order that they may have life.”

Léon Bloy

"Remember us, O Lord, in thy loving kindness and tender mercies, as ever they have been from old."

Psalm 25:6

Please remember to feed the least of His creatures, the birds and animals, and of course His children.  What you do for the least of these, you do for Me. 

Bring comfort and fellowship to the hearts of those you meet, especially those impoverished by fear and isolation, trials and afflictions, with a kind word and a smile and acts of mercy.   Each of us has our burdens and troubles to carry.  And it is our duty and joy and freedom to lessen the troubles of others, out of acceptance and thankfulness for His love, of those who are unworthy, like us. 

I remember all of you in my thoughts and prayers, as always, my brothers and sisters in the Lord. And I give thanks for you and your goodness and your efforts to walk in His paths.

Let us commend ourselves to His merciful forgiveness, and trust our futures to His loving kindness and tender mercy.  Let us permit ourselves to be fashioned to His will, in our commitment to His gospel, not for His sake, but for ours, as He wisely commanded us.

Be kind to those who are around your table today, even those who may be 'difficult.'  And pray for His mercy and enlightenment to give a more acceptable example to His children, if that difficult one is you.

Do not wait for God to show you the consequences of your sinfulness and waywardness and pride.  Ask for His forgiveness and mercy now, at this moment, and in thankfulness, never turn back.

Need little - Want less - Love more.  For those who abide in love abide in God, and God in them.

Thanksgiving Menus From Days Gone By

 

For an assist in your own Thanksgiving menu preparations. 

And the selection and prices!

I became interested in these old Thanksgiving menus when I found an old menu in my dad's collection of memorabilia from aboard a ship in the Pacific for Thanksgiving 1944.

The New York Public Library maintains an impressive collection of old menus.

Some day our children's children may look back on the menus from our day with similar nostalgia and wonder.

Such are the times and the currencies.

 

Thanksgiving Day Menus

"We pray for the big things, and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small, and yet really not so small, blessings.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Thank you, Lord, from the bottom of my heart, for another year with my family and friends and acquaintances with whome I share fellowship, and especially for the many years and happiness I shared with she-who-must-still-be-obeyed.

Let us treasure all of your most precious gifts, so easily taken for granted, and for your many loving kindnesses and tender mercies.

Thanksgiving - And Deliver Us From the Evil of Our Hardened Hearts

"Lord, I thank you for your faithfulness and love.

Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly;
though lofty, he sees them from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life.
You stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes;
with your right hand you save me.
The Lord will preserve me;
your love, Lord, endures for ever –
do not abandon us, the works of your hands."

Psalm 138


"Naked I came into this world from my mother's womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.   Blessed be the name of the Lord."

Job 1:21


"And now, bless the God of all,
who has done wondrous things here on earth;
Who fosters people’s growth from their mother’s womb,
and would fashion them well, according to his will.
May he grant you joy of heart,
and may peace abide among you."

Sirach 50:22-24


"Remember us, O Lord, in thy loving kindness and tender mercies, as ever they have been from old."

Psalm 25:6


"I have learned how to be content with whatever I have.  I know how to live on almost nothing, or with everything.  I have learned the secret of living in every situation.  And I have learned to be thankful, whether empty or full."

Phillipians 4:11-12


“Man has places in his heart which do not yet exist, and into them enters suffering, in order that they may have life.”

Léon Bloy

"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 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 favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war, for the great degree of tranquility, 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 hath 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 unto us,  and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord...

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789."

George Washington

I have remembered all of you in my thoughts and prayers, as always, my brothers and sisters in Christ.   And I give thanks for you and your goodness.  Let us commend ourselves to His merciful forgiveness, and trust our futures to His loving kindness, and tender mercy.  Let us permit ourselves to be fashioned to His will, not for His sake, but for ours.

Remember to feed the least of His creatures, the birds and animals.  And the hearts of those you meet, with a kind word and a smile. 

Be kind to those who are around your table today, even those who may be 'difficult.'   And pray for His mercy and enlightenment if that difficult one is you.

Need little - Want less - Love more

Thanksgiving Menus— From Days Gone By

The prices have not been adjusted for inflation.