I wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all have a great day.

A Thanksgiving story:

Every so often, like today, my birthday falls on Thanksgiving. When I was young we had a family tradition where the person having the birthday got to pick the evening meal. At that time I didn’t like Turkey. That’s not true today, and I fully plan on putting away my share of the bird, but back then I just didn’t care for it at all. My meal of choice was always meatloaf. It’s still not a bad choice.

Well, when I was 7, 8, 9 or so (I haven’t done the research. Does it really matter?) my birthday fell on Thanksgiving, but I wanted to choose meatloaf for my birthday dinner.

Mom, of course, came up with an acceptable option. While the rest of the family enjoyed the traditional Turkey and fixings, she made a meatloaf just for me. And it wasn’t a regular meatloaf. She took the time and shaped it like a turkey, complete with hamburger drumsticks on either side!

It has been more than 40 years since that meal and I can still picture the day. That’s a memory that’s made an impression.

Here is President Lincoln’s address from 1863:

The year that is drawing toward 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 can not 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 unequaled 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 theater of military conflict, while that theater 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 defense have not arrested the plow, the shuttle, or the ship; the ax has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well as the iron and coal as of our 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 battlefield, 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 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 imposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the divine purpose, to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

A very happy day to you all!

Now this is good TV.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Day!

As I was thinking about what to write on this Thanksgiving morning it really struck me, that beyond all of the things we are obviously thankful for — our families, our country, our many blessings — that there are a host of mundane things that we can also be thankful for.

Not to lessen or cheapen those things, for without the love of our family and friends, the bounty and opportunity of our country, the protection and honor of our military, and most of all the many blessings that God provides, none of the rest would mean much at all. In fact, the other things I’m about to list would not be possible without those most important things for which we are so acutely thankful today.

So here is my “secondary” list of things that I’m thankful for today:

• Microwave Ovens — Popcorn in two and a half minutes, warmed up left overs, melted cheese for tortilla chips. How awesome is that?
• Coffee
• DVR’s — I can watch Criminal Minds and record Mythbusters for later! I just wish I would remember that I can pause a show if need be. I’m getting better.
• High Speed Internet — I am old enough, and have been doing this computer thing long enough, to remember my first 300 baud modem that could only connect to a local bulletin board.
• Books — I love to read. I’ll read the back of a cereal box if nothing else is available.
• Jeans days at work, and the women who “do that denim proud.”
• WordPress
• Jalapeño Pepper Poppers.
• The Phillies, Eagles, and Flyers — And the joy and pain of rooting for the “home team” 30+ years after the Delaware Valley was home.
• Reeses Cups.
• Quiet — When I can get it.
• Humor — It makes all of life better.
• 
• Movies — Although it would be even greater if the actors who made them would just shut up.
• The button on the remote that lets you flip back and forth between two shows.
• Dr. Pepper
• 24 — and the insane folks at Blogs.4Bauer.com
• A towel that’s still warm from the dryer when you get out of the shower.
• Sports — and the dozen or so channels that you can watch it on.
• Comfortable old shorts to wear around the house.
• Cookies and milk.
• Summer and women — what an amazing combination.
• The very concept of “wireless” — cordless phones, wireless internet, even our printer is wireless. Unbelievable.
• Somebody you can complain to who won’t care or think any less of you. Now that’s a friend.
• The ability to have your own internet site. Thanks Algore.
• Sneakers — Yes, I still call them that.
• The Left — I have something to write about every day.
• Recognition — We probably don’t think about this much, but just a little can make anyone’s day. I know it does for me.
• Day by Day — Thanks Chris.
• Internet/Blogging Friends — Even if you’ve never really met.
• Donuts
• 
• NASCAR
• Traditions
• Ice through the door of the refrigerator.
• Cordless tools.
• Used book stores — I go to book stores like drunks go to bars.
• Old movies and TV shows
• Having the cashier at the grocery store say, “I can take you over here.”
• Hitting all the green lights going to work.
• Winning your fantasy sports league. — At least I imagine that would be great.
• Honey Buns — Warm ‘em up and have an ice cold glass of milk. Yum!
• Bikinis —
• Pay at the pump
• Playing golf — I love the line from Tin Cup that says, “Sex and golf are the two things you can enjoy even if you’re not good at them.”
• Watching a really bad storm — from inside your home.
• Waffles
• The Weather Channel — I can’t stand their politics, but how cool is it to be able to find out what tomorrows weather will be without having to wait until the end of the 11 o’clock local news?
• Spell Checker
• Time off from work
• Work
• Spicy Food
• The simple prayer — For all of these, and our many blessings, we are truly thankful.

That’s my list. What simple things are you thankful for today?

I’m repeating this post from last Thanksgiving. The words of our first commander in chief are timeless, powerful, and quite inspiring. He reminds us that not only do we have individual reasons to be thankful, but we have collective, national reasons to give thanks as well.

The proclamation written by George Washington in the earliest days of our nation is a powerful reminder of what we as a people have to be thankful for.

WHEREAS, 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;

WHEREAS, Both the houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted’ for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have show kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

–George Washington – October 3, 1789

I wish for all of you a wonderful and happy Thanksgiving. May God grant you “such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.”

If you think Independence Day is America’s defining holiday, think again. Thanksgiving deserves that title, hands-down. ~ Tony Snow

Pettifog (Chrys) THANKSGIVING 2006

Blue Star Chronicles (Beth) Thursday Thirteen #3

Fraters Libertas (Chad the Elder) Gobble, Gobble

The Pirate’s Cove (William Teach) Thanksgiving In Iraq

Sister Toldjah Thanksgiving Greetings 2006

Sigmund, Carl and Alfred Stuffing For Your Brain: The Sanity Squad Thanksgiving Special. Also read Back By Request: A Cat In The Turkey! (And other Thanksgiving horror stories) and More Thanksgiving Horror Stories!

La Shawn Barber’s Corner We Gather Together…

SoCalPundit (Kevin Korenthal) A Thanksgiving Day Message

Captain’s Quarters (Ed Morrissey) Giving Thanks

More throughout the day. My Thanksgiving Day post is here.

Finally, let me leave you with one of my favorite comedic television moments from WKRP via YouTube:

Linked with Basil’s Blog Thanksgiving 2006

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