Post Scripts: Thanksgiving

As a part of George Washington’s proclamation of the first National Thanksgiving, he proclaimed Thursday, Nov. 26, 1789, to be devoted by the people of the United States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all good that was, that is, or that will be. That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks for his kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation. Also for the signal and manifest mercies, and for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge, and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions, to enable us all whether in public or private stations to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually, to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discretely and faithfully executed and obeyed, to protect and guide all sovereign and nations (especially such as have shown kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord. To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us, and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Yes, if we continued to follow all the things George Washington said in this speech, we might be a happier nation today. We are thankful we still live in this country although it isn’t like it was in 1789, thank goodness, we still think it is the greatest nation in the world and we plan to give special thanks this Thanksgiving for all the blessings we do have.

As Kathy and I gather with 12 other family members and friends around the table of our daughter and son-in-law, we will thank the Lord for the many blessings we do have.

This year we are especially thankful that Kathy has come through still another surgery, although she isn’t completely through therapy for her new knee joint, she has made great progress. Her spunk amazes me.

I well remember many other Thanksgivings from the time I was growing up in Kansas City, where many relatives gathered around my grandmother’s table, also thanking the Lord for our many blessings as well. God bless America!