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Good Thanksgiving Mornin'

S

Shortgrass

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Just to remind us of the true meaning of the day, I will recount some of history. When the Pilgrams landed in 1620 at Plymouth Rock, they escaped a treacherous ride across the Atlantic only to enter another harrowing experience on the land. They left the overpopulated cabins on the Mayflower and wedged themselves into equally populated cabins in the forest. They faced great harships including disease and hunger and a long severe winter. William Bradford governed the colony, and had he not recorded the experiences in his "History of the Plymouth Plantation", we would know little of what actually happened. He tells of men named Miles Standish and William Brewster serving the weak and sick as most everyone got sick that first winter, and about half of them died. Bradford tells the story of how the Pilgrams rested on God's providence time and time again, "at night not knowing wher to have a bitt of anything ye next day. An so as one well observed, had need to pray that Godwould give them their dayly brade, as above all ye people in ye world. Yet they bore these wants with great patience & allacritie of spirite and that for so long a parte of 2 years." Bradford describes a 3 month drought. The corn withered, and the ground cracked. The settlers set aside a"solemne day of humiliation to seek ye Lord by humble & fervente prayer in this great distrese. For all ye morning, and the greatest part of the day, it was clear and very hotte, and not a cloud or any sign of raine to be seen, and shortly after to raine, with shuch sweete and gentel showeres, as gave them cause of rejoyceing & blesing God. It came without either wind or thunder or any violence, and by degreese in yt abundance, as that ye earth was thorowly wete and soked therewith. Which did so apparently revive & quicken ye decayed corne & other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made ye Indeans astonished to behold; and afterwards the Lord sent them shuch seasonable showers, and with enterchange of faire and warme weather, as through His blessing, caused a fruitfull & liberall harvest to their no small comforte and rejoycing. For which mercie (in time conveniente) they also sett aparte a day of thanksgiving."
 
Did you know?
Bradford says that "for money, they had none, and if any had, corn was preferred before it."
Eel pie was on the menu at the first thanksgiving.
The first English baby born in the new world was Peregrine White. Peregrine means stranger, and the word Pilgram was derived from the same base. She was born on the Mayflower while it lay at anchor, and lived to be 84.
None of the Pilgrams sailed back to England on the Mayflowers return voyage. This seem odd as nearly half of them died during the first winter.
No cranberries at the first Thanksgiving.
Pilgrams didn't drink much water before they came to America. They were amazed at the quality of the water at Plymouth.
Tobacco was praised as a medicine and considered a cure for gout or fevers. It reduced fatigue and hunger.
I like Thanksgiving almost as much as Christmas! Lets be concious of Who we are thankful to as much as what we are thankful for.
 

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