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Murphy Martin Commentary
November 22, 2007
"A Day to Give Thanks"
Many things will happen
this day we will remember. Waiting in a long line to board an
airplane to travel cross country to visit relatives. Paying about
three-bucks a gallon for gasoline to drive twelve-hundred-miles to
see that first grandson now two-years old. Watching your favorite
football team win or lose annual holiday classic. Repeating the
latest conspiracy theory about who killed President Kennedy
forty-four-years ago today. Trying to find that recipe for your
children's favorite dessert they will expect at dinner this evening.
But the really big plus of this Holiday , you can sleep late today,
have family or friends in for big dinner this evening, do whatever
you like. For many people, the really big plus of today is it kicks
off the Christmas shopping season. With a three-day weekend, one can
really get a good start on reducing the size of that shopping list.
But what is the real meaning of this day? You can find references to
Thanksgiving as a special day all the way back past the
sixteen-hundreds, and most proclamations proclaim "Thanks for God's
providence in the events of the nation" and as President George
Washington explained in HIS Thanksgiving Proclamation "for the many
signal favors of Almighty God" in the lives of our people."
And
after Congress recognized the importance of Thanksgiving Observance,
President Washington added in his Proclamation in 1789: "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 the 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---for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable
interpositions of His Providence which we experienced in the
tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed...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.
Many changes since George Washington placed such attention to
Thanksgiving Day. Not just the questioning of using phrases or
references to God on or in United States government buildings or on
United States money. Those are changes we should be concerned about
individually. But, on this Thanksgiving Day, each to his own
thoughts, but we give many more personal thanks to Him in this year
of 2007.
We give thanks for our wife and soul-mate of 45-years who just
completed six-weeks of radiation treatments following breast-cancer
surgery. All doctors and technicians seemed to have His hands
directing their work. We are thankful for life into our ninth decade
despite years of health problems. We give thanks for the hope that
His help can guide the new efforts to save our vision, despite
macular-degeneration that has taken away our reading, writing and
driving ability. We are thankful for family, our grand-children and
great-grandchildren.
We are thankful for a country still free and strong. We are thankful
for all those who paid the supreme price to keep us free and strong
through many wars. And we are thankful for those who were injured
and maimed in those wars. We are thankful for a just and
understanding God. To be able to worship as we choose in a free
society, for life itself and for His love for all who accept his
Son, Jesus Christ.
On this Thanksgiving Day 2007, after we have watched our last
football game, eaten the last turkey and dressing. Driven the last
miles to conclude a visit with loved ones afar, after we have
completed ALL the things that filled this special day, we hope you
would join us in thanking Him for this day and every day. It's
amazing and so comforting to realize every day is Thanksgiving Day
if we make Him the Captain of our ship!
That's our time, thank you for yours.
Murphy Martin
Your thoughts and comments forwarded to my website
will be appreciated.
e-mail
murphy@murphymartin.com
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