Thanksgiving Lost

Thanksgiving references:  Our friend Marc Bond's offering; President Ronald Reagan's 1985 Thanksgiving Address; President George Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation 

Our politically correct retail community hastily exchanges the words "Thanksgiving" and "Christmas" and "Easter" for "Holiday".

Here's a new twist, the National Parks Foundation (NPF) sent out a plea for contributions on Thanksgiving, today!

"We hope you will join us in taking time today to give thanks for our nation's greatest treasures — our more than 400 national parks," the solicitation pleads.

Not to be picky, but does NPF mean "give thanks" to the Creator for our natural wonders, or, to the government.  

We have seen not much evidence that the current federal administration supports America's Christian heritage.  Certainly, the NPF wouldn't go out of its way to "give thanks to the creator of the Parks".  They want us to give thanks to them in the form of a contribution.

While we're always slow to accuse anyone of hypocracy, we do note for the record that 1) NPF is the "official partner" of the National Parks Service, and 2) both the National Parks Director and his boss, the Secretary of the Interior serve on the NPF board, and 3) the Interior Secretary, Sally Jewell, is NPF Board Chair.

While we would not, without evidence, accuse the DOI of establishing a 'slush fund' of 'tax free contributed dollars' that it controls, we do note that certain democrat constituencies and policy goals seem to be recipients of NPF grants–including he climate change religion advocates. 

-dh

One who celebrates Thanksgiving is thankful.  It is logical to be thankful FOR blessings TO someone and illogical to be thankful TO inanimate objects or concepts — such as "karma", "good luck", or "the universe".  

Since earliest Biblical times, mankind has prospered — only when giving allegiance and thanks to Creator God.

America's founders owed and thanked God their creator and protector for everything, including the birth of a nation.  For their decendents to not thank God on Thanksgiving is to be thankful TO nothing.  

Therefore, it is logical that Americans wishing to sustain the Founders' republic, give prayerful thanks, with their children, TO God their Creator on this special, Thanksgiving Day, that He might continue to sustain and protect us. 

Why would anyone gather in "Thanksgiving" celebration with family and friends, enjoy libations, begin searching stores for Christmas treasures, and eat to capacity without so much as a prayer of thanks TO Almighty God?  Why would children be raised to be thankful TO nothing.  Why would America abandon the Heavenly guidance, strength and protection that prospered it, only to ignore the source of prosperity?  Why would this blessed people then go on to celebrate Christmas by renaming it a "holiday" and ignoring the Covenant God provided us with the gift of his son, the Savior?

Is not being unthankful TO one's creator, being ungrateful, rejecting both His blessings, future protection and guidance?   

One fears for the future of America's ungrateful people as evil enemies, at this very moment, creep closer.  

For, will they not soon discover America's loss of Heavenly values and protection?

 

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From all of us at the National Park Foundation, we wish you and your loved ones a very Happy Thanksgiving. We are so thankful for friends like you who share our love for the national parks.
We hope you will join us in taking time today to give thanks for our nation's greatest treasures — our more than 400 national parks.
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Thanksgiving offering by our friend, Marc Bond:

By happy coincidence, Thanksgiving this year falls on Thursday, November 25, precisely the 226th anniversary of the first United States national day of thanksgiving declared by George Washington.  His proclamation is set out below.

To set some context, the War of Independence which killed some 25,000 American soldiers and sailors (about 6,800 in battle, with the rest from disease and starvation, many at the hands of the British while held as prisoners of war) and rendered another 15,000 or so disabled.

Both the national and state governments owed a crushing debt load from the war, perhaps $75 million, financed largely by the French, and not resolved until Alexander Hamilton secured the Funding Act of 1790 wherein the national government assumed the debts of the individual states, and national revenues (largely customs tariffs and excise taxes, including the notorious excise tax on whiskey) were sufficient to pay down the debt in the next two decades. 

A new and untested Constitution was ratified after a fractious debate on the extent of national powers (hmmm, what a concept).  The first elections under the new Constitution were held in December 1788 and January 1789 (with different states voting on different dates), electing an unopposed George Washington as President and John Adams as Vice President.  Congress first gathered at Federal Hall in New York City on March 4, 1789 (which for many years thereafter was the date of presidential inauguration).  Washington was inaugurated on April 30.  The Judiciary Act was passed on September 24, establishing the federal judiciary and US Marshal Service.  The Bill of Rights was proposed as a set of 12 amendments for ratification by the states on September 25.  The US Department of War established the national army with a force of several hundred men.

After losing its American colonies, Britain shifted its focus to Asia, the Pacific, and Africa, but did not make true peace with a separate America until after the War of 1812 was resolved in January of 1815.

In short, there were many uncertainties facing the young nation.  And yet … and yet, our President had great confidence in the benevolence and power of God, and in the diligence and skill of the American people.  So he directed the attention of his citizens toward appreciation for all of the gifts bestowed by the Almighty: care and protection prior to becoming a nation; providential interventions during the war; tranquility and plenty after the war; the establishment of civil government; civil and religious liberty; the acquisition of useful knowledge; and all other great and various blessing.  But beyond that, he directed Americans to confess and seek pardon for their sins, and to ask “the great Lord and Ruler of Nations” for continued guidance and protection to temporal prosperity.

Similar, if more modern, sentiments are express in President Obama’s 2015 Thanksgiving Proclamation. “In the same spirit of togetherness and thanksgiving that inspired the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag, we pay tribute to people of every background and belief who contribute in their own unique ways to our country's story.  Each of us brings our own traditions, cultures, and recipes to this quintessential American holiday — whether around dinner tables, in soup kitchens, or at home cheering on our favorite sports teams — but we are all united in appreciation of the bounty of our Nation.  Let us express our gratitude by welcoming others to our celebrations and recognize those who volunteer today to ensure a dinner is possible for those who might have gone without.  Together, we can secure our founding ideals as the birthright of all future generations of Americans.”

I encourage all Americans to put down differences, set aside politics, look past old wrongs, and seek healing in their relationships, personal, professional, and civic; confess our many sins in true repentance; and for at least a single day think great thoughts, say manifold prayers, and express to others the single sentiment of gratitude and appreciation.  Make a list of your blessings, for in every life, however humble or magnificent, there are many, many gifts.  Be truly thankful, and tell others how thankful you are for them.  For we have much and much more for which to be grateful.

In that spirit, I am grateful for each member of The List.  May you all have a Happy Thanksgiving.  – Marc