Happy Thanksgiving! Ronald Reagan's 1986 Proclamation has some interesting food for thought today, and it sort of goes along with the story I posted on Tuesday about Revolutionary War Thanksgivings. I hope everyone has a wonderful day with family and friends.
Ronald Reagan said:
"Perhaps no custom reveals our character as a Nation so clearly as our celebration of Thanksgiving Day. Rooted deeply in our Judeo-Christian heritage, the practice of offering thanksgiving underscores our unshakeable belief in God as the foundation of our Nation and our firm reliance upon Him from Whom all blessings flow. Both as individuals and as a people, we join with the Psalmist in song and praise: ``Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good.''
One of the most inspiring portrayals of American history is that of George Washington on his knees in the snow at Valley Forge. That moving image personifies and testifies to our Founders' dependence upon Divine Providence during the darkest hours of our Revolutionary struggle. It was then -- when our mettle as a Nation was tested most severely -- that the Sovereign and Judge of nations heard our plea and came to our assistance in the form of aid from France. Thereupon General Washington immediately called for a special day of thanksgiving among his troops.
Eleven years later, President Washington, at the request of the Congress, first proclaimed November 26, 1789, as Thanksgiving Day. In his Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, President Washington exhorted the people of the United States to observe "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer'' so that they might acknowledge "with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.'' Washington also reminded us that '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 favor.''
Today let us take heart from the noble example of our first President. Let us pause from our many activities to give thanks to Almighty God for our bountiful harvests and abundant freedoms. Let us call upon Him for continued guidance and assistance in all our endeavors. And let us ever be mindful of the faith and spiritual values that have made our Nation great and that alone can keep us great. "
On this day in 1746, a future Patriot is born. Robert Livingston’s name is one that most Americans don’t recognize, but perhaps they should. He played a critical role in several founding events.
Did you know that he is the one standing next to George Washington in portraits of the first inauguration? Or did you know that Livingston obtained the territory that would become Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri—to say nothing of states such as Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska?
Livingston was an early supporter of the Patriot cause, opposing the Stamp Act as early as 1765. He was a well-regarded statesman, and he was soon representing New York in the Continental Congress. As a delegate, he was given at least one important task: He was asked to sit on a Committee of Five, charged with drafting the Declaration of Independence.
The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-robert-livingston
At about this time in 1941, the fourth Thursday in November officially becomes a national holiday. You may know about modern Thanksgiving Day celebrations, but did you know that thanksgiving also played an important role in the American Revolution?
Indeed, as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, George Washington fully supported public displays of gratitude as a vital part of a well-functioning army.
The events of October 1777 were a case in point. Americans won an important victory at Saratoga, and Washington promptly credited Divine Providence.
“Let every face brighten, and every heart expand with grateful Joy and praise to the supreme disposer of all events, who has granted us this signal success,” Washington’s General Orders of October 18 declared. “The Chaplains of the army are to prepare short discourses, suited to the joyful occasion . . . .”
The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-thanksgiving-revolution
On this day in 1950, a hero engages in an action that would earn him the Medal of Honor. Ralph Puckett, Jr. has been called “[o]ne of the most revered figures in Army Ranger lore.”
Perhaps his can-do attitude was a natural result of his upbringing?
“At age 14, I had done a lot of hard, physical work,” Puckett later explained, “as a truck driver and a warehouseman. . . . I learned that I could withstand some tough work.” His dad, he remembered, had been “very insistent on me being a man, being what a man should be . . . .”
The story continues here: https://www.taraross.com/post/tdih-ralph-pucketts-moh
