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A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day - HAPPY THANKSGIVING!....11-28 thru 12-01-02
Billie and Mama_Bear
Posted on 11/28/2002 12:01:33 AM PST by Mama_Bear
![](http://domania.us/Mama_Bear/misc/blessings.gif)
As we come together with family and friends and bow our heads in thanksgiving, let us remember our servicemen and women who are far from home during the holidays. In remembering them, let us also give thanks for the sacrifices of their families who will have an empty chair at their Thanksgiving table this year. Let us be ever mindful of our freedoms and the price that has been paid, and continues to be paid, in order to preserve them.
This Thanksgiving Prayer, by Kathryn Kay, is thought to be the poem which inspired President John F. Kennedy's most memorable words:
"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
![](http://domania.us/Mama_Bear/misc/goldcross1.gif)
Thanksgiving Prayer
God, ev'ry year about this time, according to routine, I've bowed my head in the accepted way and offered thanks, like some well synchronized machine that prayed because it was the time to pray. But, God, this year is different, this year I seem to feel America's Thanksgiving is my own, that in my nation's gratitude I have a part that's real, a part that until now I've never known. And, God, this year a deep humility has filled my heart, a newborn pride rings true thruout my soul because I do belong, because I have and am a part, a tiny part of one tremendous whole.
I think I know the feeling of those first Americans who said, "We must give thanks for this, our land." I cherish now the rights that are each woman's, ev'ry man's, the rights I've just begun to understand. This year my heart has learned what all Thanksgiving Days are for, true thankfulness at last I realize, but, God, I'm sorry that it took the tragedy of war in other lands to open up my eyes. Again I bow my head but this time deep within me stirs a mighty prayer, part of one vast design, "God, help me make America as proud that I am hers as I am proud, and grateful she is mine!"
"Thanksgiving Prayer" was published in Kay's book "If the Shoe Fits" in early November, 1941.
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In 1789, the father of our country, George Washington, issued the first official Thanksgiving Day proclamation.
"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 favour: And whereas both Houses 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 and signal favours 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 TWENTY-SIXTH 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 favourable interpositions of His Providence 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 favours 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 publick 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, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.
(signed) G. Washington"
Thanksgiving is a time for counting blessings, for drawing near to family and friends, and for sharing the bounty of God's gifts.
Our cup runneth over; for this, Lord, we give thanks this day.
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During this Thanksgiving weekend, if you have a moment, please sit down at our table and share what you are especially thankful for, what Thanksgiving means to you, or a special holiday story, recipe or memory. There is always plenty of room at our holiday table for our Finest FRiends.
![](http://domania.us/Mama_Bear/misc/turkeybaskets.gif)
Turkey In The Straw Over The River And Through The Woods Colors Of The Wind Old Home Place Amazing Grace Give Thanks
![](http://domania.us/Mama_Bear/misc/pumpkinline.gif)
Stop by and say hello when you can. Our regular "A Few of FR's Finest" thread will return on Monday.
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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons
KEYWORDS: freepers; fun; holidays; military; surprises; thanksgiving; tribute; veterans
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To: Aquamarine; All
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
101
posted on
11/28/2002 10:27:29 AM PST
by
SAMWolf
To: lodwick; sweetliberty; All
Thanks for the keeper's!
What a great day this is!
And to all our troops and ships at sea!.................Happy Thanksgiving! We are thinking of You!
To: JustAmy
A special Thanksgiving treat for my Bro! Sounds just like Mom. Before she gave YOU the genes. LOL!!
You're so cute, Sis.... and silly. : )
To: Cindy
Thanks, Cindy, for the link to the Thanksgiving page. Lots of interesting links there. Tomorrow, when things calm down some, I am going to spend more time there. :-)
To: JohnHuang2
Hi, John. I guess I missed you again, huh? Hope you are having a nice day. :-)
To: .45MAN; dansangel
Thanksgiving hugs to you both!
To: Aeronaut
Hi, fly-guy. Happy day to you. :-)
To: Jim Robinson
Happy Thanksgiving to Jim, Sheila, John, Tami and Chris.
Jim, I see this is the day that you registered. Is this FR's birthday?
I know you have heard this hundreds of time, but thank you, once again, for this site. :-)
To: LadyX
A blessed day to you and yours, LadyX.
To: MeeknMing
Morning, Meek. Happy Thanksgiving to you and Ming and your dad. :-)
To: GailA
Morning, Gail. Thanks for your Thanksgiving greetings. Wishing you a blessed holiday.
To: carlo3b
I'm sorry, I completely missed your day in the spotlight yesterday, but I skimmed over the thread this morning. Thanks for your recipes and wit. Tomorrow, when I have more time, I am going to go back and read the thread in detail.
A Happy Thanksgiving to you and belated congratulations on being our Featured FReeper yesterday. :-)
To: knighthawk
Knighthawk, so nice to see you here! Thank you for the Thanksgiving wishes.
To: lodwick
Happy day to you, FRiend. :-)
To: BeforeISleep
Thanks so much for taking time to stop by with your Thanksgiving wishes. Have a blessed holiday.
To: M Kehoe
Hi, it's nice to see you here.
Thanks for making this thread special.
It's people like you, who take time out of your day to stop by, that makes this thread special. :-)
Happy Thanksgiving!
To: jwfiv
Well, another fine day we've gotten ourselves into. Indeed! LOL. Happy Thanksgiving to you, FRiend. :-)
To: Mama_Bear; yall
Adventures in Sunday School Sunday School children had to choose a Bible character they would most like to be and why. A little girl wanted to be Mary because she was the mother of Jesus; one young boy wanted to be Joseph, because he was Jesus' father, another David because he was strong and brave and slew Goliath and yet another Jonah because he went for a ride in a whale!! One quiet, young man chose to be "Lo". When told there wasn't a character called Lo in the Bible, he replied "Oh yes, there is -
Jesus said, "and Lo, I will be with you always"!
A father was reading Bible stories to his young son. He read, "The man named Lot was warned to take his wife and flee out of the city, but his wife looked back and was turned to salt."
His son asked, "What happened to the flea?"
118
posted on
11/28/2002 11:06:06 AM PST
by
lodwick
To: ST.LOUIE1
Believe it or not, I was going to post that hostess babes graphic that you made for us...you beat me to it. It hasn't been posted for awhile, and it is my favorite.
Happy Thanksgiving, special person. :-)
((((((((hugs)))))))))
120
posted on
11/28/2002 11:14:55 AM PST
by
lodwick
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