Thanksgiving

Well, its that time of year again! Thanksgiving is upon us! Wow, this year has really flown by. I am amazed each year as I get older how quickly time goes.

Well, this year I decided with Thanksgiving coming that it would be good for Cidney to learn why we celebrate thanksgiving and how it came about. So, for the past month or so we have been reading several different books about the pilgrims and the mayflower and the first thanksgiving.

Now, I remember learning about the pilgrims for the first time in first grade. I remember we even put on a little play for our parents at the Christian school I went to and I was dressed up as a pilgrim girl! :) I was wearing a white paper bonnett thingy that we had made in class several days before. I laugh as I think about it, cause I remember being SO shy and not wanting to be up in front of everyone. :) How things change when you get older!

I remember learning all about the pilgrims as I was growing up, but I have realized as I have been reading these books to Cidney, all that I really didn't understand. Being an adult you understand so much more. I really realized exactly what these people were doing so many years ago. They left their home in England, the only place they had known, and traveled to a new land. One that they had only heard of in search of religious freedom. That first winter after they arrived over half of the group died from sickness. Only 5 of the eighteen women survived. Now, reading all this makes me think that if I would have been there I would have wanted to give up and go back home. But the pilgrims continued on. To me, these people who founded our country, were brave, strong people who had faith in God. I really am amazed at all they had to go through and how hard they had to work to survive. They worked together and took care of each other. I am not sure if people are quite like that today.

Even though that first winter was terrible, they continued on and that following spring God blessed them with a huge harvest, an abundance of food. They were so thankful! "God be praised" Edward winslow wrote in his journal. They knew that God had helped them and provided for them. They were truly thankful!

After reading all this it makes me so thankful for this country we live in, for the brave people that worked so hard for this country over the years, how easy I have it now adays then people did long ago, for God in my life, for my family and friends and all that God has given me! I am TRULY thankful this Thanksgiving! :)