Thanksgiving Revival
We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done.Psalm 78:4
Whenever I get convicted of a failure in my life, it is never a pleasant experience. Often it is because of neglect, and sometimes it is due to a gradual slipping. It became apparent to me that my observation of Thanksgiving had fallen into both categories.
Homeschooling can take up so much of my time that planning for the holidays is often a challenge. It is easy to view these "extra things" as just one more event to contend with, rather than savoring it for the special time that it is.
Recently, God got my attention in a powerful way. In a rare moment of quiet, when each of my children was involved in doing their own thing, I "just happened" to reach over to the radio, which is situated by the kitchen sink and is mostly used for weather reports. This particular time my desire was for soothing and uplifting music while I mindlessly washed the dishes.
Tuning into a local Christian radio station, I caught a broadcast just as it began. The male voice was powerful and dynamic as it immediately began reiterating all the hardships and challenges of the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower. The sound of water and waves filled the background with muffled voices praising God.
The more I listened, the more I was drawn into the narration, forgetting my soapy plates and glasses, and choosing instead to lean against the counter and savor every word. I suddenly realized how powerful God's Hand had been in the founding of our great nation. Conviction flooded me at the thought that, over the years, I had not sufficiently stressed this truth and knowledge to my younger children. I had not only slipped, but I had neglected. As my family had grown, my priorities had changed.
Instead of valuing the season for its meaning, I had shifted my emphasis to the preparation for its celebration.
The dynamics of the radio broadcast had moved me so deeply that I wanted to share it with my family. I immediately called the 800 number to order the tapes. Normally, I am not an impulse buyer, but on this occasion I definitely sensed the Lord's leading. I praised God for granting me this insight in early November.
My husband also caught the vision and urgency, and we purposed together to gather the family on specific nights in the weeks to follow, to not only listen to the narration tapes, but to also read aloud Pilgrim accounts and historical truths pertaining to our nation's heritage.
I'd like to say that the benefit was for our children, but, in actuality, the blessing belonged to my husband and me. We both found ourselves eagerly looking forward to our times as a family, and made every effort to see that it occurred. Our enthusiasm was high, and we made no effort to hide our excitement at new revelations of truth.
Pilgrim life came alive, as did Squanto, Massasoit, William Bradford, and Miles Standish. Our spirits were heavy as we remembered the high loss of life due to disease and influenza. Yet our hearts rejoiced at God's evident Hand in settling the Pilgrims in the territory of the extinguished tribe of the Patuxets, and in providing the Pilgrims with the tribe's cleared, farming ground. The miracle of Squanto, a spiritually renewed and only Patuxet survivor, further encouraged our faith in God and the seeming "coincidental".
I am now looking forward to Thanksgiving Day with a new anticipation. Yes, we will still have Turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce, along with all the trimmings and pies and fancy desserts, but my emphasis will be back to the meaning of the day. Before we eat, I intend to take the advice of the radio broadcaster and ask each family member to share five blessings from the preceding year. My desire is that GOD is eminent and that HIS presence in our nation's history is clear. After all, that is what Thanksgiving is really all about!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, forgive me for forgetting, and for pushing the real meaning of Thanksgiving aside! It truly is a reminder of YOUR gracious Hand on our country. Help me to instill in my children, a love of American history, and a desire to keep in remembrance YOUR blessings!
