GIVING THANKS

[Ph8th]

Giving Thanks​

Today many Americans will gather with family and friends around a dinner table that will contain a feast that would have been the envy of many kings and princes in ages past. Despite the political, economic, and cultural challenges we face under the failed and hostile policies of the Obama administration, we are still blessed to live in the United States of America.

The Apostle Paul reminded the Thessalonians of the need to not only rejoice in the midst of challenges, but to be thankful. "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). When I read this passage, I can't help but think of the Pilgrims. In October of 1621, William Bradford, Governor of Plymouth, declared the first official day of Thanksgiving. The public proclamation on behalf of the Pilgrims came as a result of their first bountiful harvest. The Pilgrims were overflowing with gratitude to God because the harvest of 1621 provided more than enough corn to see them through their second winter.

History records that Indian chief Massasoit arrived unexpectedly a day early for the celebration. The Chief brought 90 Indians with him -- causing the Pilgrims to nearly despair, questioning whether or not they could feed that many without dangerously diminishing their winter supply of food. As it turned out, the Indians had arrived early so they could hunt and contribute to the feast. The Indians provided five dressed deer and more than a dozen fat wild turkeys. There was plenty of food -- which was even more of a reason to give thanks. In fact, that's what they did; they extended the Thanksgiving celebration to three days.

But what were they giving thanks for? Recently I saw where a public school text book told children the Pilgrims were giving thanks to the Indians (not at all surprising in this day and age of revised history).

The Pilgrims' journey began in Holland -- not for religious freedom, as is often cited, but for the freedom to build a community on biblical principles for their children. They had left England, where they did not have religious freedom and moved to Holland where they were free to worship as they pleased. But the culture was so corrupt, they made plans to go to the New World.

What was that journey like? One hundred two Pilgrims had been crammed into a space on the Mayflower that was about the size of a volleyball court. Compound that misery with the lack of light and fresh air (all the hatches had to be battened down because of stormy weather) and a limited diet of dried pork, dried peas, and dried fish, and the stench of an "ever fouler bilge" which lasted for 66 days at sea.

They arrived in the fall of 1620 just in time to prepare for winter. During that first winter, nearly half of the 102 pilgrims died -- 47 in all. In February, at the height of winter, they were dying at a rate of two per day. Thirteen out of 18 of the wives died, with only three families remaining unbroken by death that first winter. Yet even still, they were thankful. And they remained thankful even though at times their daily rations consisted of one kernel of corn.

The experiences of the Pilgrims were recorded in the historical work Of Plymouth Plantation, penned by their leader, Governor William Bradford, who said of the Pilgrims, "Last and not least, they cherished a great hope and inward zeal of laying good foundations, or at least making some ways toward it, for the propagation and advance of the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in the remote parts of the world, even though they should be but stepping stones to others in the performance of so great a work."

The Pilgrims had the ability to rejoice and hope even in the midst of death and privation because they knew their lives served a greater, eternal purpose. When we know and follow Jesus Christ, our lives have that same eternal purpose and that alone gives us a reason to rejoice and be thankful.


Tony Perkins' Washington Update is written with the aid of FRC senior writers.


.

View attachment 7873

View attachment 7872

 

[JohnDB]

There's also the fact that most of the Pilgrims were alcoholics. They feared plain water and drank beer. (Due to the rampant fecal contamination of European water wells)

The first several years the community farms failed due to lack of tending. So the land was divided up into family lots and lo and behold the families had bumper crops.

That first several years the women actually stole Indian food stashes to feed the people as they came across them.

And until the boat actually left many refused to leave it that first year.

It was a very difficult time for the Pilgrims... Both physically and spiritually.

 

[Ph8th]

There's also the fact that most of the Pilgrims were alcoholics. They feared plain water and drank beer. The first several years the community farms failed due to lack of tending. .

Thanks for that ray of sunshine you added to my post ......... was just being thankful too hard?

http://www.fermentarium.com/random-news/thanksgiving-pilgrims-and-beer-myths/

 

[JohnDB]

Thanks for that ray of sunshine you added to my post ......... was just being thankful too hard?

That was just it.
Those Pilgrims were very thankful.

They came to witness to the indigenous people of North America. They thought that they had blown it and that God was going to curse them until that meal.

But God was winnowing them. Removing the chaff from the wheat. They felt like failures but God said they were winners.

They were extremely thankful to God for food, life, and witnessing opportunity.

It truly was thankfulness on steroids. I would have bawled like a little girl if I was one of them for all God had provided.

 

[AirDancer]

Two points of note:

The Pilgrims were not alcoholics. Beer and mead were brewed in the homes, a responsibility of the women. Wines and other beverages were imported from other countries or in certain regions of England. Water was not easily accessible in the cities, until ways of drawing it from nearby 'clean' sources were made available. The River Thames was highly polluted....no one drank water from there. While some people could abuse alcohol, the majority viewed beer as we would coffee, tea, etc. The alcohol content was not that high, as most households did not have the luxury of aging the beer/wine/etc long enough.

The Pilgrims were Puritans in their belief. Puritans held extreme views on how people should behave, etc. Everything, in their opinion, was to be sober, somber. During the reign of Elizabeth I, her 'secretary of state' William Cecil (Lord Burghley) was a 'moderate' Puritan. So was her friend Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who was a member of her Privy Council. The man who created and extended England's first secret intelligence service was a 'moderate' Puritan, Sir Francis Walsingham. Both Cecil and Dudley interceded on the Puritan's behalf with the Church of England's hierarchy. The CoE during Elizabeth's time was more protestant than during her father's reign; Henry VIII is credited with creating the CoE.

After Elizabeth came James VI of Scotland/James I of England. His Council took a dim view of the demands being made by the Puritans to remove Feast Days, excesses in rich fabrics, fashions, jewelry. There was a long list of 'grievances' that the Puritans sought, but did not have every issue rectified in their favor.

As far as the religious freedoms were concerned, the Puritans were excited by the opportunity to move to a land where they could have their strict interpretations of the Bible without the potential of being jailed or pilloried for their rebellions against the Church of England. [By 'rebellion,' I am not referencing taking up of arms or attacking others. Instead, they refused to take part in certain aspects of church practices.] They had heard the stories about the lush New World over the decades from various seamen and explorers, and believed this was the direction for them to go.

I hold respect for those early people....people who dared to dream of resettling in a part of the world that didn't have towns or available housing. Their determination to succeed was admirable, for they knew it was not going to be easy. And it certainly wasn't.

 

[AirDancer]

Happy Thanksgiving

 

[JPPT1974]

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

 

[JohnDB]

Two points of note:

The Pilgrims were not alcoholics. Beer and mead were brewed in the homes, a responsibility of the women. Wines and other beverages were imported from other countries or in certain regions of England. Water was not easily accessible in the cities, until ways of drawing it from nearby 'clean' sources were made available. The River Thames was highly polluted....no one drank water from there. While some people could abuse alcohol, the majority viewed beer as we would coffee, tea, etc. The alcohol content was not that high, as most households did not have the luxury of aging the beer/wine/etc long enough.

The Pilgrims were Puritans in their belief. Puritans held extreme views on how people should behave, etc. Everything, in their opinion, was to be sober, somber. During the reign of Elizabeth I, her 'secretary of state' William Cecil (Lord Burghley) was a 'moderate' Puritan. So was her friend Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, who was a member of her Privy Council. The man who created and extended England's first secret intelligence service was a 'moderate' Puritan, Sir Francis Walsingham. Both Cecil and Dudley interceded on the Puritan's behalf with the Church of England's hierarchy. The CoE during Elizabeth's time was more protestant than during her father's reign; Henry VIII is credited with creating the CoE.

After Elizabeth came James VI of Scotland/James I of England. His Council took a dim view of the demands being made by the Puritans to remove Feast Days, excesses in rich fabrics, fashions, jewelry. There was a long list of 'grievances' that the Puritans sought, but did not have every issue rectified in their favor.

As far as the religious freedoms were concerned, the Puritans were excited by the opportunity to move to a land where they could have their strict interpretations of the Bible without the potential of being jailed or pilloried for their rebellions against the Church of England. [By 'rebellion,' I am not referencing taking up of arms or attacking others. Instead, they refused to take part in certain aspects of church practices.] They had heard the stories about the lush New World over the decades from various seamen and explorers, and believed this was the direction for them to go.

I hold respect for those early people....people who dared to dream of resettling in a part of the world that didn't have towns or available housing. Their determination to succeed was admirable, for they knew it was not going to be easy. And it certainly wasn't.

Well they weren't alcoholics in the sense that they were falling down drunks. They had the European tolerance for alcoholic beverages. Beer was alcoholic and similar to what a Budweiser is in proof but without the hops and tended to be more sweet.

I understand that these thoughts aren't exactly politically correct in Christiandom but they are accurate.

Also these Pilgrims were escaping some persecution but moreso they felt that they were doing God's will by coming to tell the natives about Jesus. Also the thoughts of a utopian society weren't lost on them.

They prepared for everything they could think of.... And much of what they prepped for went unused...except beer production. (They ran out of flavorings for it)

At this point in world history people had no knowledge of bacteria and viruses or how measles, mumps, or chicken pox were distributed. The Pilgrims carried all these things. The natives had no tolerances for these...unfortunately for them.

We make and have our plans... God has his.