Thanksgiving - A Time to Pause - A Time to Express Our Thanks - A Time for Reverence to God - A Time to Give of Ourselves on Behalf of Others.

Thanksgiving - is an "Act of Pausing" - to "Give Thanks" - to "Be Thankful"

• In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln delivered a Unique Proclamation - - - - That we should pause on the Fourth Thursday of November each Year Henceforth, to Be Thankful for God's Care and Provisions.
• His Address Is Reverent - and Emphatic.

"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. Aided by William Seward, Sec of State.

• Thoughts - - - - - - -
• The first Recognized Thanksgiving in 1621 spanned three days and included more Native American Indians than newly-resident Pilgrims. These Pilgrims came to North America in search of religious freedom and a better life.
• Yet, they suffered - - the voyage did result in a safe landing, but many Pilgrim Folks died. Once landed, the Pilgrims were bewildered, had scarce food, starved, experienced disease, died, and experienced attack by one group of Native American Indians. Yet, their sense of New Community in this New World did grow strong -- and stronger. They endured.
• In 1621, though their struggle was intense - and persisting - - these early Pilgrim settlers Paused - - they Paused, deliberately, and they Reflected on Their Hardships - - and they Reflected on Their Endurance. And Their Reflections and Remembrances Led Them To Declare Thanks to God - These People recognized that the safe passage to this land that they experienced --and their survival through a bitter winter -- was possible only through God's Hands on them ... The Pilgrims professed that their safe voyage, their landing, their new community, their sense of refuge, and the reality of their new Freedom for Worship was indeed Granted and Provided by God, the One Whom They Worshiped - and Sought to Worship in this New Land.
• The Pilgrims did have essential Help from a few grace-filled Native American Indians. Though there had been one Native American Indian attack earlier that had caused casualties, a few Native American Indians came to befriend the settling Pilgrims and proceeded to instruct how to sow corn, how to fertilize the corn plants, and how and when to harvest the corn. These same Native persons also provided instruction on details of hunting and cooking meat.
• The survival of the Pilgrims did depend upon these Intentional, Gracious Acts. And the Pilgrims recognized that. And the Pilgrims credited God - and openly Thanked God - for this very distinct ministry that these few Native Indians delivered to the new settlers. Wow.
• So - in 1621 - They Paused - They Declared Thanks to God - They Extolled God with Preaching and Singing -- and with Sharing and Prayer - this they did Intentionally - for three days - - they shared corn and wild turkey and pheasant - - and they shared time and good will - in The Name and Spirit of God - - They Honored The Native American Indians - - and the Native American Indians honored the Pilgrims - - and THUS - all Honored God.
• There was Intentionality to this -
• Historically, Abraham Lincoln was not the first to proclaim a Thanksgiving Pause. Actually, the Continental Congress declared the first national Thanksgiving on December 18, 1777, and in 1789, George Washington also declared the last Thursday in November to be a national Thanksgiving Day. 
• However, this did not persist as a repeating Observance - nor with Reverence. In 1846, actually, Sarah Josepha Buell Hale, an influential American writer who authored the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb," campaigned openly for the creation of a national Thanksgiving holiday. Why ? That we would Pause Intentionally with Remembrance and Hearts of Thanks Giving.
• And, yes, it was Abraham Lincoln as President who ultimately listened, considered, and supported legislation, proclaiming it a National holiday in 1863. President Lincoln was deeply troubled - - America was in the middle of its bloody Civil War and already 750,000 had died in battle and skirmishes - - and President Lincoln desired an ending - - and he hoped a Reverent Thanksgiving Pause might catalyze a new unity - - based on Godly Mercies - - to this bitterly warring country.
• And so - - - Thanksgiving Day has become - - and Truly Is - - the official day on which Americans may Pause and Remember - and give Thanks - to God - for His Divine Mercies and Divine Provisions for the unfolding of our Country's Freedoms and Securities. Thanksgiving Day is Proclaimed as a Day Set Aside for Remembering that there is Special Harmony between God's Provisions and the Official Unfoldings of our History.
• May we now Pause - in our own Ways - this year - 2017 - to Participate in Thanksgiving.
• What is our mindset? What is the object of our pause?
• I encourage all to Pause with "Reverence," as President Lincoln - and Miss Hale - and George Washington - and those 1621 Pilgrims - urged - and did.
• Thanks to God is Due - - For God's Mercies, For God's Provisions, For God's Directions, For Our Special Freedoms and Liberties; For Communities and Towns; For Farms; For Grown and Harvested Food; For Food at Each Table, Prepared and Presented with Love and Care; For Families, For Gathering Together, For Friends Who Share Life's Journey, For Caregivers and Care Providers of All Ilk - - - For Sunshine, For Rain, For the Miracles of Plant Diversity and Plant Growth Which Are Harvested and Shared as Food Sustenance; For Morning and Evening, For Grace and Forbearance - - For Virtues that are Endowed by God that Trigger Communities and Caring within Communities.
• And, Lest We Forget - - Thanks is Due to Those Who Love and Who Love Actively - - and Thru Love Become Active in the Care of The Least - and the Feeble - and the Deprived, of Those Who Hunger, of Those Who Thirst, of Those Who Suffer, and of Those Who Are Sick; of Those in Shackles, of Those Who Mourn - of Those We See Who Are In Need - - Remember, the Original Pilgrim Folks Endured Deep Needs and Great Scarcity - - Yet, a Few Native American Indians Came Into The Pilgrim Community and Aided The Pilgrim Families - - And, We Must Observe and Know - That This is Our Call - - This is Our Vocation - - To Use our Awareness and our Abilities to Help Others - -
• Thanksgiving Is All About Giving - - Yes, Giving Thanks With Sincere Hearts and with Reverent Hearts - - but also Thanksgiving Is All About the Giving of Ourselves to Aid and to Help Others .....
• Let Us BE THANKFUL - - We ARE Called - -
• Let Us Declare "Thanks" - - Let Us Express Thanks By Aiding Others - -

"Give Thanks"

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, "I am strong"

Let the poor say, "I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us"

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He's given Jesus Christ, His Son

At Thanksgiving: Give thanks

We give thanks for His Grace Love Care

- - Rex L Mahnensmith - - - Thank You ,,,,,