History of Thanksgiving



Don't let anyone fool you or tell you otherwise, Thanksgiving is a 100% Christian holiday. This holiday was started by Christian pilgrims and intended only to celebrate our gratefulness to God for all His blessings.

 

When the pilgrims left for America from Plymouth, England on September 6, 1620, they began their journey in prayer asking God for traveling mercies. God answered their prayers and gave them safe journeys. God kept the 102 pilgrims safe for over two months travel through harsh elements of a vast storm-tossed sea.

However, the pilgrims were not prepared for the harsh New England weather that was to be their first winter in America. After landing in present day Massachusetts on December 11, 1620, they only had time to set-up hasty shelters and virtually no time to stock food supplies before the onset of a very harsh winter. By the time spring arrived, nearly half of the pilgrims died from starvation and sickness.

Even after all this suffering, the pilgrims never lost their faith and hope for God to save them. Everything they did up to this point was done in prayer. Before leaving England, they prayed. After arriving in Massachusetts, they prayed before signing the "Mayflower Compact", which was America's first document of civil and self-government. And after a very harsh winter and beginning of spring in the New World, they again prayed to God for his deliverance.

God again answered their prayers and sent the Indians to help the pilgrims. With the help of the Indians, the pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest their first summer in America. The grateful pilgrims declared a three-day feast to celebrate God's graciousness starting on December 13, 1621. Just over their one year anniversary of landing on Plymouth Rock.

While this is not considered to be the first actual Thanksgiving in America. It was the first Thanksgiving Festival that was held in America. Actual Thanksgiving holiday celebrations can be traced as far back as 1607 in Virginia. Certainly, the pilgrims had good reason to be THANKFUL and set the example for all us by thanking God for his blessings.

 

The Thanksgiving holiday was unofficially introduced in 1789 by President George Washington. As a member of the Protestant Episcopal Church, he declared that the Thanksgiving holiday would be the first Thursday in November. It wasn't until 1941 that Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday.
Let's all remember to thank God for all the many blessings He has bestowed upon us. God is good! If you agree, please pass this on.

by James Apple Jr.

Join the Good Fight for the Faith by passing on to others!

America Moral Decline

Proverbs 28:2 NLT "When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily. But with wise and knowledgeable leaders, there is stability."

Is America in a state of decline? Since World War II, America has been the richest and most powerful nation on earth.

I believe this has changed. America can be compared the Roman Empire during its last days. Just like the Romans, America is dying from the inside out. I believe this decay comes directly from our nations turn from the moral values that America was founded upon.

America was founded on Godly principles and was enormously blessed for it!

 Psalm 33:12 NLT

"What joy for the nation whose God is the Lord, whose people he has chosen for his own."

American started off in the right direction and was a moral nation for a long time. However, America's actions just within the last 40 years has for the first time put America in a state of affairs that God can no longer bless.

Isaiah 59:2 NLT

"But there is a problem — your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore."

It is my belief that the major turning point for America that began our separation from God was the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. For the first time in American history, murder was legal for the most vulnerable of us all! How could God continue to bless a nation that no longer put value on human life?

For those that believe babies in the womb are not human souls that God loves, the Bible says differently.
Psalm 139:13-16
"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous — and how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born."

More recently is America's trampling of God's sacred definition of marriage and homosexuality. Many states have now made it legal for two of the same sex to marry and many Americans today accept homosexuality as something that is normal and OK; and just recently received Presidential support. Just a generation ago, these actions were taboo and completely unacceptable in our society. God's word is clear on how we should perceive this sin.
Leviticus 20:13
"The penalty for homosexual acts is death to both parties. They have committed a detestable act and are guilty of a capital offense."

The deterioration of the American family had a snowball effect on our children which resulted in higher crime rates, lack of education, a turning away from God and a very poor outlook for our children's and grand children's future.
America no longer has the blessing from God like it did!
Jeremiah 18:10 NLT
"but then that nation turns to evil and refuses to obey me, I will not bless that nation as I said I would."

One cannot say if turning things back around in the right direction is possible or not, but in order to do so, our country must have a fundamental change in moral beliefs. Once Christians come to the realization that they cannot vote along party lines and must vote for the candidate that has the best morals, then our nation can start to elect leaders that will make decisions and put in place laws that will again allow God to turn and face us again. I firmly believe that there is no such thing as a Christian Democrat. These two words are complete opposites. One might as well call them self a Christian Wickan. It makes no sense to believe it is OK to support agendas that are despicable to God and also believe one is living in accordance to God's will.  Anyone doing this might as well go to church on Sunday and go to work for the brothel house on Monday!

In closing, remember this:
Romans 12:2 NLT
"Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is."

Can You Guess How Much Two Young Entrepreneurs Earned Running a Lemonade Stand?

My News Limerick:
Marcus and Christopher wanted to go to a show,
But didn't have enough money for their family to go,
Without anyone's consent,
They earned every red cent,
Now have plenty to travel and some to blow!

Quote of the Day:
"I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance. Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

Commentary:
Man, perseverance is a true statement when describing these two young entrepreneurs; but another word comes to my mind when I think about what they have accomplished. I call it a true "American Spirit". These two young men just taught every America a very important life lesson. That is success comes through hard work, determination, and ingenuity.

What would most kids do if they needed money? Most would go ask their parents! In comparison, what do many Americans do when they need money or assistance. They go to the government for a handout.

The lesson learned here is this; these two young boys understood that in order to find a way to accomplish their goal of traveling to Dallas, they need to find a way to make the money on their own. With a little thought and a lot of ingenuity they accomplished this goal through none other than a simple lemonade stand. They worked 11 hour days for a few weeks and earned over 2,000 dollars. Enough the finance the trip and plenty left over which they plan to donate to charity.

If more Americans would learn this valuable lesson. They too could reap the rewards of hard work and ingenuity. America can no longer be the mommy and daddy of poor Americans. One can argue that many with disabilities or the elderly need government assistance and I believe this statement is true. But, those that are physically and mentally able should not receive handouts from hard-working Americans like me.

To Chant "USA!"

Racist in America, to chant “USA”,

Apologizes for patriotism, what this portray,

When's appropriate, to chant “USA”,

Restrict only for use on, 4 July or Memorial Day.

Political Correctness, here we go again,

Have their way, illegal on public domain,

Stop this now, rights dwindling away,

Racist in America, to chant “USA”.

White targeting Hispanics, all eschew,

Yes Hispanic, but they’re Americans too,

San Antonio, Home of the Alamo, they’re Texans,

But they’re claiming racism, toward Mexicans.

Nation of culture, when will we learn,

Ignore the left; they’ll cause us to burn,

The true problem, what Hispanics failed to do,

Join the others and chant “USA” too,

1 Timothy 5:8 (ESV)
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. “

“A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.”
George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950)

applewriter.blogspot.com

Wake up America!

Afghan, under fire by Taliban,

Blaming the U.S., came out of Pakistan,

Actions of a Soldier, triggered Afghan protests,

Blaming the U.S., their own needs repress.

Sixteen killed, three women and nine children,

Terrible tragedy, pray for our brethren,

War is Hell; some innocents will be lost,

We must minimize this at any cost.

A religious war, do you agree,

I think so, doesn’t take a master’s degree,

Muslims all over the world, after you and me,

Kill us all if they could, this I guarantee.

Political correctness, thoughts unacceptable,

Nation is weak, very susceptible,

America wake up, future at hand,

Muslims have their way; Sharia law in our land.

Stoning, beheading and mercy killings,

Yes, I said it; they kill their own siblings,

These are their beliefs, but America is the villain,

Turn table on us, America’s bloodstain.

Wake up America, Stand up and fight,

Muslims have their way; take your religious right,

See the facts, see the truth,

Want to kill us all, even our youth.

 

by James Apple Jr.