This really is one of my favorite times of year. I’m not entirely sure why but there is something about the chill in the air, the anticipation of this holiday season and celebrating with friends and family. It comes after the push of the fall work- weaning, sorting, hauling, selling, vaccinating, preg checking… (did I miss anything?!). There is also the farming to do and some fencing and then the winter prep. But all of this is coming as a result of a good calf crop and a blessed harvest.
Isn’t it wonderful how inspired the first Thanksgiving-ers (I made that up) were to set a day aside to give thanks for their blessings after the harvest season. Actually that really is how the story goes; the pilgrims had been devastated with sickness and starvation as they reached America. They may not have made it had a few Native Americans put aside any differences and taught them skills to survive the new land. It was after their first corn harvest that their leader declared that they all share in a celebration of fasting and thanksgiving.
There have been other distinguishable times in our country’s history that leaders proclaimed it a time of fasting and thanksgiving, primarily after or in the midst of great trials. In fact it was during the Civil War that President Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday.
I love looking into the history of this holiday, to see what was intended for this holiday. It was quite religious, so much so that they fasted rather than feasted. I hope that I, personally, haven’t strayed from its heritage. No, I didn’t fast but I hope that my thanksgiving was honorable. Of course we are able to add our own traditions to help it be more meaningful for each of us, but are we still celebrating and cherishing our blessings as we should?
So after another great year of blessings, a healthy family, a good harvest, and a home full of love and happiness, I want to give thanks to family, to the legacy we live, and mostly to a loving Father in Heaven.
