Thanksgiving: An Act of Worship

We all are aware that Thanksgiving, the great American holiday, happens tomorrow. It seems, though, that the cultural awareness of the source of this celebration has been lost in recent years. The first celebrants of this ritual gathered at table during shortly after the harvest season because of the gratitude in their hearts. They were grateful for God's grace that allowed them to survive their first harsh winter in the New World; and for the assistance of their fellow man (native American Indians, specifically) in cultivating the crops and produce. These were reasons for gratitude, indeed. Jennie Brownscombe, The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth (1914) Over the last three-plus centuries, the ritual has changed slightly. There probably wasn't a grand exhibition of sport (like football) before, during, and immediately after the big meal. It is very likely that folks didn't pack up for brief cross-country trips but, rather, they remained within ...