Today, families separated for months or years will reunite and take time to recount the many reasons to be thankful. But what are the origins of “Thanksgiving?” Thanksgiving Day was adopted as an annual holiday by New York State in 1817, marking the first official celebration of Thanksgiving as a regular event, and the last time a New Yorker said “thank you” for anything ;). In 1863, President Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving, and every subsequent president has followed suit. As part of this tradition, the sitting President pardons one turkey from the chopping block. Interestingly, Ben Franklin was a proponent of the turkey as our national bird. Of course he was from Philadelphia – affectionately called the “city of brotherly shove” by my relatives.

Thanksgiving is really supposed to live year round in the heart of every God-centered person. Paul tells Timothy in his laundry list of “terrible times” in II Timothy 3:2 that one of the marks of a society off track is being “ungrateful” or not giving thanks (reverse those last two words and you’ve got thanksgiving!). Let us remember on this day that our great Creator has given us all we have and we have much to be thankful for! I hope your time with family is enjoyable and filled with memories that last through years to come! May the fame of God spread as we recount all the ways His faithfulness has come to us.

And now to begin stretching for the annual Turkey Bowl! “Vicki, where’s the Ben Gay and Ibuprofin?”