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As I was sitting at my computer, brainstorming ways to write a Thanksgiving article, I went back and reread every Thanksgiving article from my website. I really enjoy this time of year and believe it is good to look back and be thankful for a multitude of reasons. You may be having the worse year of your life, but you can still find something that gives you great meaning and thankfulness.

Related: The Thanksgiving Challenge

My brainstorming ran me into a thought about the origins of Thanksgiving. Sure, we know about the pilgrims and the Native Americans, but I’m not going to dig into that story. I wanted to know how it was celebrated and when it became a national holiday. During my research, I discovered that Thanksgiving was never celebrated at the same time in every state. It was essentially a state holiday until 1863.

In the midst of a bloody and grueling civil war, Abraham Lincoln set aside a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise.” Sometimes the meanings of holidays can get lost on people. Thanksgiving can seem like the holiday that we get together to eat lots of food and watch football. It may not seem like a holiday that has a lot of meaning, but when reading the proclamation from President Lincoln, you see that it has so much more meaning.

Therefore, I thought I would share the entire proclamation in this article and reflect on how we can live out this proclamation with our families today.

Washington, D.C.
October 3, 1863
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.
Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.
No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.
And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln

The first thing I notice is the difficulty that I have reading the above passage. They wrote so differently in the 1800s than we do today. However, there is still a great message and a great meaning to this holiday that some may forget. Specifically, President Lincoln talked about the importance of thanking the Lord for the most gracious gifts.

This was a time of CIVIL WAR and the country never lost site of the importance of thanking the Lord our God for the blessings in our life. However, we forget an aspect of this holiday, which is praise. President Lincoln stated:

“…observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Therefore, we should not just give the Lord Thanksgiving for everything thing he does, but we should also Praise everything he does. Despite our sins and despite all our transgressions, the Lord loves us and forgives us. We may have struggles, we may have a recent family loss, or you may be in a busy season of life. No matter the challenges and difficulties, our lives are a blessing to us and your families.

Remember that we are lucky to have the breath of each day and the fresh air in our hair. The Lord has blessed us with all things. This reminds me of one of the coaches that I work with. He has a great perspective on life and is just happy to be in the position that he is in life. Each day, I tend to ask him the same question, “How are you today?” Almost everyday, he responds with, “Any day above ground is a good day.”

Sometimes he will change it up and throw another one at me. I can’t remember his other two one liners, but we recently talked about his perspective. In his case, he witnessed the decline of both of his parents. He knows that each day is not guaranteed and he is grateful for the job and healthy body that the Lord has given him.

He lives out the Thanksgiving spirit all year long. That’s the Thanksgiving spirit that President Lincoln wrote about in his proclamation making Thanksgiving an official federal holiday. It’s the spirit of somebody that embodies the thankfulness for the bodies and time on this planet. This day, month or even year is not guaranteed so take advantage of every moment you are given.

My wife and I are dealing with some difficult stuff at our house. Due to this, we are busier than we want to be and we are not getting as much rest as we would like. However, this is just a season of our lives and it too will pass. We need to remember this as we celebrate this time of Thanksgiving!

As we reflect on all the wonderful blessings in our lives, I want you to continue living out the Thanksgiving spirit everyday. This can be as easy as using that quote from my co-worker.

“Any day Above Ground is a Good Day!”

It can be as detailed as journaling about something that you are grateful for each day. It doesn’t really matter how you find gratitude this holiday season, but it is important that you slow down. That you enjoy your kids and family time. It’s important to tell stories and laugh a little. It’s important to sit down and play a game or go outside and play a game. And yes, it’s important to eat some good food around a table of friends and family.