PILGRIM THANKSGIVING
Besides symbolizing a time when many of us gather to feast on turkey, cranberry sauce, and apple pie-what does the word truly mean? America’s revered holiday was founded by a group of struggling Pilgrims during the fall of 1621. Peter Marshall and David Manuel’s account, The Light and the Glory, tells how the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock endured extreme hardship to pioneer a new land. Three long months at sea aboard The Mayflower and a brutal winter left them ragged, malnourished, and susceptible to disease. During the first four months of that year, nearly half of the émigrés had succumbed to illness and died under the harsh strain of their barren lifestyle.
The Pilgrims’ daily existence was a life-or-death battle to overcome constant hunger, sickness, and exposure to the elements. Crudely assembled houses made of mud daub were their only shelter from the icy New England weather. Because they were not yet knowledgeable about their new environment’s agriculture, planting gardens in the hostile conditions proved virtually fruitless. Every meal was portioned out meticulously. The death toll, a constant reminder of their fragility, rose steadily. At one point only 5 men were well enough to care for the sick.
Despite their tribulations, the Pilgrims thanked The Lord every day, petitioning Him for rehabilitation. One morning, during an ordinary Sunday worship service, The Lord sent tangible evidence that He had heard their prayers. Their church service was interrupted by an unexpected guest, an Algonquin Indian chief who assessed their hopeless situation and returned with a helper named Squanto. The Pilgrims, who have warred with Indians before and lived with a continuous fear of being attacked by them, were astonished by their new friends’ eagerness to provide much needed assistance.
Squanto, a Pateuxet Indian who spoke perfect English, taught the Pilgrims how to hunt game, trap beavers, and plant Indian corn, a staple that would eventually save their lives.
When the harvest yielded more than the Pilgrims could eat, Governor William Bradford, their elected leader, declared a day of public thanksgiving. He invited the chief of a friendly neighboring Indian tribe to join in their tribute of Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims were excited to celebrate with their honored guest but were completely shocked when he arrived with 90 other Indians.
Although God had provided abundantly, their food supply would not accommodate a group of this size, and they had no idea how to feed their visitors. Despite their quandary, all worries were soon dismissed. To their amazement and ever-increasing thankfulness, the Indians had bought with them 5 dressed deer and a 12 fat wild turkeys. Over time they taught the women how to make pudding, maple syrup, and an Indian delicacy-roasted pop corn.
But the Pilgrims’ trials were far from finished; their plentiful autumn was followed by a particularly treacherous winter. Unfortunately, the weather proved to be the least of their ailments. In November a ship called The Fortune dropped anchor in their harbor. Aboard the ship were 35 more colonists who had brought with them no provisions-no food, no extra clothing, no equipment for survival. Additionally, the oppression of the physical environment had become almost unbearable after a 12 week drought dried up their crops and withered their spirits. The newcomers arrival had drained already inadequate food rations and there was no obvious resource for sustenance. At their lowest point, the Pilgrims were reduced to a daily ration of 5 kernels of corn apiece. In utter desperation they fell to their knees and prayed for 8 hours without ceasing.
Again God heard their supplications: 14 days of rain followed. A second Day of Thanksgiving was declared. The neighboring Indian chief was again their honored guest; He brought with him 120 braves. The pilgrims feasted on game and turkey as they had during the previous celebration, only this time one dish was different. The first course, served on an empty plate in front of each person, consisted of 5 kernels of corn, a gentle reminder of God’s faithful provision for them.
The Pilgrims humble response to their affliction is evidenced by their many writing which express deeply thankful hearts. We can learn countless lessons about sincere thankfulness from their example.
God commands us to live a life of gratitude and thanksgiving. “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thes.5:16-18). By teaching our children to have grateful hearts, we can prepare them to respond gracefully to life’s trials. GIVE THANKS!!!–(From Bible.org)
  We should be especially thankful this Thanksgiving Day.  We haven’t had to endure what these Pilgrims endured but still they prayed and were thankful.  Many suffered but the Lord heard their prayers and blessed when things looked beyond hope.  It is like Paul who was on a ship in the midst of a terrible storm and all hope seemed to be lost. However, God gave him a message that all on board would be spared and he comforted those on board with these words.  “And now I exhort you to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man’s life among you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, Saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me.”  (Acts 27:22-25).– Nov. 8, 2012–Elder Larry Wise
  “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.” (Psalm 100:3-4)
