The meaning of Thanksgiving, despite how it started in 1621, should be about recognizing the blessings God has provided for us in a bountiful supply of the essentials of life.
Interestingly, I just determined that the United States and Canada are the only two countries that really have a set day to give thanks for our blessings. Thanking our Creator is clearly what President Abraham Lincoln had in mind in 1863 and I believe should be our primary focus of Thanksgiving every year.
Along those lines, we must also take a minute and discuss the crowd I had the opportunity to recently speak in Center, North Dakota. It was the District 33 Republican meeting and fundraising pie auction. Clearly, homemade pies have been a part of the Thanksgiving tradition from early on.
The number of amazing pies and what they sold for to this group of 100 attendees was amazing. The knowledge and skill set of the women who go into the kitchen and create an amazing tasting pie is to be appreciated. I have no idea how a $145 salted caramel apple pie will taste, but I sure wish I did.
Aside from the pie auction, this particular audience had a high percentage of women who were talking about the canning they did again this year. Two women I spoke with mentioned they had each canned 900 quarts of produce that they had grown themselves this year. How many women today even know what a pressure cooker is?
For the record, I do not apologize for making it sound like it is women’s work to do the cooking and canning. That is another area where society has put pressure on changing the plan our Creator had in store for the man and the woman. This is where I could list a couple Bible verses about the role of men and women, but the truth of the matter is that I will never be convinced that we are anything other than created equal although each gender while each is given tendencies that best suit them in working together to create a strong family unit.
One thing that cannot be denied is that 162 years of celebrating Thanksgiving has removed the basis of thanking our Creator for the resources that enable life. Society may be more focused on football and prepping for Black Friday shopping, but rural families still honor the tradition. To me, it is no accident that we gather with family and eat like it is going to be our last meal ever. I could not be more blessed than to have grown up in a family unit the resembles what God intended. I am also blessed that God created a path for me to find my soul mate and create the same family environment for our three daughters.
At the end of the day, there is plenty to be concerned about in today’s world. If we look at history honestly, we will see that every generation in every era has had major struggles to contend with. What Thanksgiving truly means is that, as we begin to wrap up another year, we are reminded that if we have food and family we can endure a tremendous amount of strife.
Editor’s note: The views expressed here are the author’s own and do not represent the views of High Plains Journal. Trent Loos is a sixth-generation United States farmer, host of the daily radio show “Loos Tales” and founder of Faces of Agriculture, a non-profit organization putting the human element back into the production of food. Get more information at www.LoosTales.com, or email Trent at [email protected].
PHOTO: Grateful multigeneration family holding hands while praying at dining table on Thanksgiving. (iStock │ #1727472895 – Drazen Zigic)
