Thanksgiving

Do you know what year the first nationally declared Thanksgiving was held?

Any guesses?

1864

This one might be a little bit easier, what was happening in the United States in 1864?

The Civil War

How long had the Civil War being going on, and how many people died during the Civil War?

Over three and a half years and over 600000s Americans died.

November 1864 was towards the end of the Civil War, it ended the following spring. Most the big battles had occurred by then, estimating over 500000 causalities by the time of the first Thanksgiving holiday.

As I have read and reread books about Thanksgiving to Caleb this year I am always struck by the same thought-what on earth did people in the United States to have to be grateful for in 1864? That had to be one of the darkest times in our nations history, but people gathered around and gave thanks for what they did have, even with all they didn't have. The pilgrims were the same way. More people died than lived that first year in Plymouth. But people offered thanks and praise to God for His goodness. 

This year I wanted to cancel Thanksgiving, I wasn't feeling very cheerful. This year has been stressful and emotional. In fact the last three and a half years have been long and emotionally draining. 

And then I thought of what it would be like if we were in 1864 and asked to celebrate and give thanks.

That would be much much harder.

And I find myself grateful that Thanksgiving is a holiday that came about during a horrible war that affected so many Americans. 

We all have good times and we all have bad times, but we can all be grateful whatever the season of our life.

So I made a goal, instead of expressing gratitude for one blessing a day this month I was going to write down ten things a day.

After a couple of days I decided to challenge myself and have a theme a day. I started off easy: what am I grateful about being married to John, being Caleb's mom, living in Montana, my calling. Those were a little too easy so I thought I would challenge myself. Why I am grateful for our time in Texas? What about infertility? Or having had a stillborn son? Those ones stretched me. But I realized there truly are significant but subtle blessing in every aspect of my life. 

President John F Kennedy sums up the other critical and often overlooked aspect of gratitude: "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter word, but to live them."

I have found it is pretty easy to write down one or even ten things a day that I am grateful for. However, to actually live a life of gratitude can be very difficult. 

Even with all that we have been through the last four years, and knowing we are a week away from another move with more changes and challenges. I am trying to not only list the things I am grateful for, but have a grateful heart and life. To take time to express my gratitude to those I love, and have optimism in the future because I can see so many blessings.

I am trying to follow this advice each and every day. 

"I am asking that we stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. I am suggesting that we go through life we 'accentuate the positive." I am asking that we look a little deeper for the good, that we still voices of insult and sarcasm, that we are more generously compliment virtue and effort."-Gordon B Hinckley

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!