THANKSGIVING - THE GENESIS

Today is Thanksgiving Day. This American celebration of life has started to also interest some Rwandan folks like myself. I have been celebrating it for the past four years. On this season of financial hardship for many around the world, i believe that there are still things in our life that we are grateful for and I hope that our pain and dissatisfaction whatever great they maybe doesn't cloud our vision in recognizing the good things that we still have. As the legendary saying goes, 'learn to count your blessings'. Today is an appropriate time to do so. This reminds me last year thanksgiving comment I read at Voxpopoli:

Even in the present difficulties, even given the way the American nation has moved away from God and abandoned its historical liberties, we still have much for which to be thankful today. It is better to thank God for the abundance of what we have than to bemoan that which has been lost. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. And I encourage you to be grateful. It may be a long time before humanity again knows such a period of relative wealth and ease. - Vox Day

Life has been rather tough on me this year. Nevertheless among my many trials I'd like to at least to be thankful to the Lord Jesus for allowing me to publish my book this year - Help Me Understand Jesus. Yesterday I spoke with one of my friends, I noticed that he wasn't conversant with the genesis of this celebration. I suspect some folks here may also wonder about the origin of this celebration called Thanksgiving. I hence decided to post the official wordings that begot this day known as THANKSGIVING.

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Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the 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--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--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, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn 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.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.
- George Washington