Well here it is again Thanksgiving. The tree's are dropping their last leaves (although they will always drop some more after I feel i've raked the last of them). Christmas lights are going up in the neighborhood, seems sooner every year. I suppose by the time I retire we'll put up Christmas lights right after Easter.

Though the Pilgrims held the first Thanksgiving dinner, our celebration of the holiday today is in large part due to the tireless effort of a nineteenth-century female editor of a popular ladies' magazine of the times.

Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

The 102 pilgrims who sailed on board the Mayflower, fleeing religious oppression, were well acquainted with annual thanksigiving day celebrations. The custom was ancient and universal. The Greeks honored Demeter, goddess of agriculture, the Romans to Ceres, the goddess of corn, while the Hebrews had offered thanks for abundant harvest with the eight-day Feast of the Tabernacles. These customs had never really died out in the Western world.

The Pilgrims (after a 4 month journey that began in Holland where they had fled from England previously), landed at Plymouth on December 11, 1620 (only 2 died in voyage, although many on the voyage were hired hands and not true Pilgrims).

Confronted with severe weather, and a plague that killed hundreds of local Indians they had by the fall of 1621 lost almost half of their members. The survivors had much to be thankful for. A new and bountiful crop had been harvested. Food was plentiful. They were alive, in a very large part due to help from the locals. Particularly one English-speaking Pawtuxet Indian name Squanto, who was to stay with them till his death 2 years later.

The first Thanksgiving was proclaimed by then governor, William Bradford. The small town to host it had 7 private homes and four communal buildings.

According to Governor Bradford's own history, "Of Plimoth Plantation" the celbration lasted three days. he sent "four men flowling" and the ducks and geese they brought back were added to lobsters, clams, bass, corn, green vegetables, and dried fruit (sorry no pumpkin pie, only boiled pumpkins).

The Pilgrims invited the chief fo the Wampanoag tribe, Massasoit, and ninety of his braves, and the work of preparing the feast for the ninety-one Indians and fity-six settlers went to only four women and two teenage girls (good to be a man sometimes -- as there had been thirteen women die the previous winter).

The first Thanksgiving Day had all the normal aspects of modern celebrations, only on a small scale (and of course no football games or big screen TVs, sigh). A parade of the local soldiers, muskets firing and trumpeting bugles was all orchestrated by Captain Myles Standish.

The ninety Indian braves competed against the settlers in foot races and jumping matches (Wonder if any of Jim Thorpe's ancestors displayed their skills to the Pilgrims).

This Thanksgiving celebration would not be repeated the following year. But in 1623, during a severe drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service to pray for rain. When a long, steady rain followed the very next day, Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of Thanksgiving, again inviting their Indian friends.

It wouldn't be until June of 1676 that another Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed, though when the the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. Since the celebration was meant to also be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives", they weren't invited that year (how soon we forget).

Then in October of 1777 was the first time that all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga.

George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson (shame on you Tom) scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving has been proclaimed by every president since Lincoln (thanks Sarah). The date has changed a few times, but, in 1941 Thanksgiving was finally set by Congress as a legal holiday, on the fourth Thursday in November.

Well that's a quick history rundown, now let's all give thanks to God for our many blessings....

Went on mission trip back in June/July to Costa Rica. Spent time in the rain forest with the Cabecar Indians.

Here's a short video clip...

Why everyone should be a parent..

Kids are will laugh at your jokes as long as you do

Bath time is loads of fun

To them you’re a sports star, and generally an expert on everything

You no longer need outside exercise

Kids will never criticize your table manners