Pleasant Times

News from Mt Pleasant Christian Church - http://mychristianchurch.org - November 2010

A Second Glance…
by Cortney Walcott

A Wampler Thanksgiving

When Phil and Thanksgivings in the

Judith were first married, Prather home before it
it was tradition that Phil got passed on to Judith
and Judith’s uncle, Jim, and Phil. ―The family was
went rabbit hunting on outgrowing Mom’s house
Thanksgiving morning. so I was the next in line,‖
Following the hunt the says Judith. About four
Wampler family gathered years ago Judith decided
at Judith’s aunt and to pass the Thanksgiving
uncle’s house, Jesse and tradition on to her two
Ruth Prather. daughter-in-laws, Debbie
Thanksgiving was spent and Mary Beth. Now
there for many years Debbie and Mary Beth
before Robert and alternate years hosting
Dorotha Prather took it the traditional
over. The Wampler’s Thanksgiving dinner in
spent many their homes.

Like most American families, they celebrate Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey dinner and all
the trimmings. Usually the host of the dinner will prepare the turkey and the other family members bring
the ―trimmings‖ while Judith is expected to bring the buns. The women usually prepare the meal while
the family visits with the sound of a football game coming from the living room. At noon the family
gathers around the table to enjoy a family dinner. Because the family is too large to sit at one table,
additional tables are set up so the family can eat together. Dessert follows with squash pie and
persimmon pudding.
As Judith thinks of their families’ Thanksgiving traditions, she reflects and says, ―God has blessed
us with a great family and friends to share it with. I looked back at all the earlier years and remembered
 what a wonderful time we had together. Especially the
Thanksgiving it snowed so much that we didn't think we
were going to make it back home. Wonderful memories!‖
May we all make wonderful memories this Thanksgiving
and remember what the holidays are truly about.
Thanksgiving
by Pastor Jon Miller
This month we celebrate Thanksgiving, one of
my favorite holidays. For many this is just
another day off from work, a day to eat a big
meal with family, or the kick off to the Christmas
shopping season. Historically Thanksgiving Day
was a day when the Pilgrims gave thanks to
God for their survival in the new land and the
assistance the Indians gave them. The Bible has
a lot to say about living a thankful life, not just
one day a year, but every day that we are alive.
This Thanksgiving let us direct our thanks
towards God. We are accustomed and even
trained as young children to tell people ―thank
you‖ when they do something nice for us. Too
often we fail to train our children to have the
same attitude of gratitude towards God. Yet
God has done so much for us. The Apostle Paul
said, ―Giving thanks always for all things unto
God and the Father in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.‖ (Eph 5:20). Notice that the thanks
are given to God. The Psalmist said that we are
to enter into the presence of God with
thanksgiving. (Psa 95:2). Every time we go to
the Lord in prayer we are entering into his
presence and our hearts should be inclined to
give thanks to God for all that He has done.
This Thanksgiving let us be reminded that we
have a lot to be thankful for. One time in Jesus’
ministry he went into a village and was met by
ten lepers. Jesus told them to go show
themselves to the priest and while on their way
there they were all healed. Only one of the
healed lepers came back and thanked Jesus for
what he had done. This led Jesus to ask a
profound question when he said, ―Were not ten
cleansed? Where are the nine?‖ (Luke 17:11-
19). The lepers could easily represent every one
of us. Before we met Jesus we were dying from
the disease of sin and we have been cleansed
and healed by our Lord and Savior. Even if we
don’t get another prayer answered we still have
so much to thank God for. The Apostle Paul said
that Father has blessed us in Christ with every
spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. (Eph
1:3). That’s why whether we have little or much
of what this world has to offer, we still have a lot
to give God thanks for because of what he has
done for us in Christ.
This Thanksgiving let us not stop offering
thanks. After the parade and football games and
the leftovers are put away there is a natural
tendency in our human nature to forget about
Thanksgiving until next year. The Bible instructs
us to live as though it is Thanksgiving every day.
Paul said he would not cease to give thanks to
God in his prayers and that he would ALWAYS
give thanks (Eph 1:16, 5:20). Let’s make a new
habit to use the words ―Thank you‖ not just when
someone holds the door for us but every time
we pray.
I don’t know everything about the situation or
circumstances that are affecting your life right
now. This may have been a really hard year for
you, it may still be hard. There is something that
I do know though, and that is that God loves you
and He is a good God. Even though things may
appear difficult right now God has a plan to work
it all out in order to bring you to the perfect place
that He has in store. In the Bible when things got
bad for Job he refused to curse God and die like
his wife encouraged him to do. Instead he kept
his focus on God and in the end, God blessed
Job with more than he had in the beginning.
That doesn’t mean that God is going to give us
perfect health or great wealth, but it does mean
that those who are in Christ are eternally
blessed and have a lot to be thankful for.
Happy Thanksgiving and May the God of all
Mercy be with as you grow in the knowledge of
Christ Jesus.
Thanksgiving Suggestions and Ideas:
If you know a single person make sure that they
don't spend Thanksgiving alone. Let them
become part of your family for that day.
Spend one hour as a family at a shelter or
nursing home volunteering.
If you can afford it, take a single mother or father
to the grocery store and pay for their
Thanksgiving Day groceries.
Pay for a "SHARE" monthly groceries
ANONYMOUSLY for a family or two.
Make two of each of the pies you make and give
one away to a busy mother or senior citizen that
can't bake this year.
Be creative, there are so many ways to use your
abundance to help those in need. Your
abundance may be that you have a family that
loves you and you can even share that with a
lonely widow or widower who never had any
children of their own. They can become an
adopted grandparent for your children for
Thanksgiving Day or any day for that matter.
Often it is just a matter of using your
organizational skills to check and double check
to make sure the NONE will be lacking in your
church or neighborhood for the holiday season.
Consider starting with your Sunday School class
and make sure that each one will have a place
to go on Thanksgiving instead of being alone.
Call one of your neighbors and see if they can
come over for a piece of pie or have dessert with
you this Thanksgiving Day.
Share your abundance of clothes and blankets
this year. Gather some extra blankets and even
the coat that is a little too small. Maybe bring
that extra pair of gloves that you never really
liked and take them to a homeless shelter.
Make some sandwiches and cookies and take
them to the homeless people in your town.
Get some empty shoe boxes and put a few
seasonal treats and treasures along with some
Thanksgiving cards in them. Then they can be
handed out at the nursing home this
Thanksgiving. While you are there you can ask
the director if there are any people who might
need a visit or some fresh flowers to cheer them
up this year.
If you love the tradition of Thanksgiving Football
games, that's great. BUT make sure you don't
watch them alone. Invite a single person over to
watch the game with you. Not everyone will
either want to or be able to travel home for the
holidays.

Thanksgiving Facts
Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force
was conducting test runs and breaking the
sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.
91% of Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving
Day.
There are regional differences as to the
"stuffing" (or "dressing") traditionally served with
the turkey. Southerners generally make theirs
from cornbread, while in other parts of the
country white bread is the base. One or several
of the following may be added: oysters, apples,
chestnuts, raisins, celery and/or other
vegetables, sausage or the turkey's giblets.
Thomas Jefferson thought the concept of
Thanksgiving was "the most ridiculous idea I’ve
ever heard."
Every President since Lincoln proclaimed
Thanksgiving Day. But in 1939, 1940, and 1941
Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving
the third Thursday in November to lengthen the
holiday shopping season. This upset people.
Fifty percent of Americans put the stuffing inside
the Turkey.
The North American holiday season (generally
the Christmas shopping season in the U.S.)
traditionally begins when Thanksgiving ends, on
"Black Friday" (the day after Thanksgiving); this
tradition has held forth since at least the 1930s.
Corn is one of the popular symbols of
thanksgiving. It came in many varieties and
colors - red, white, yellow and blue. Some
Americans considered blue and white corn
sacred. The oldest corns date 7000 years back
and were grown in Mexico.
Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be
a turkey.
Several people wanted to have an official day of
thanksgiving, including George Washington,
who proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving
in 1789. Several people did not want it including
President Thomas Jefferson.
Here's one of the most unbelievable
Thanksgivng facts: The Guinness Book of
Records states that the greatest dressed weight
recorded for a turkey is 39.09 kg (86 lbs), at the
annual "heaviest turkey" competition held in
London, England on December 12, 1989.
More than 40 million green bean casseroles are
served on Thanksgiving.
Turkey is the traditional dish for the
Thanksgiving feast. In the US, about 280 million
turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving
celebrations. There is no official reason or
declaration for the use of turkey. They just
happened to be the most plentiful meat available
at the time of the first Thanksgiving in 1621,
starting the tradition.
Twenty percent of cranberries eaten are eaten
on Thanksgiving.
Turkeys were one of the first animals in the
Americas to be domesticated.
Columbus thought that the land he discovered
was connected to India, where peacocks are
found in considerable number. And he believed
turkeys were a type of peacock (they’re actually
a type of pheasant). So he named them ―tuka‖,
which is "peacock" in the Tamil language of
India.
The 'wishbone' of the turkey is used in a good
luck ritual on Thanksgiving Day.
The cranberry is a symbol and a modern diet
staple of thanksgiving. Originally called crane
berry, it derived its name from its pink blossoms
and drooping head, which reminded the Pilgrims
of a crane.
The Plymouth Pilgrims dined with the
Wampanoag Indians for the First Thanksgiving.
The different nicknames for Thanksgiving Day:
―Turkey Day‖ (after the traditional Thanksgiving
dinner), ―T-Day‖ (an abbreviation of either
―Thanksgiving Day‖ or ―Turkey Day‖), ―Macy’s
Day (this is exclusive to New York City – it is a
reference to the Macy’s Day Parade),
―Yanksgiving‖ (Canadians sometimes call the
Thanksgiving in the US as ―Yanksgiving‖ to
distinguish it from the Canadian Thanksgiving
holiday.)
The First Thanksgiving lasted for three days.
Contrary to popular belief, Native Americans did
not eat cranberries. They did, however, find
them extremely useful for dying fabric and
decorating pottery.
The Native Americans wore deerskin and fur,
not blankets.
A spooked turkey can run at speeds up to 20
miles per hour. They can also burst into flight
approaching speeds between 50-55 mph in a
matter of seconds.
Turkeys are first documented over two thousand
years ago in Central America and Mexico.
In October of 1777 all 13 colonies celebrated
Thanksgiving for the first time; however it was a
one-time affair commemorating a victory over
the British at Saratoga.
There are three places in the United States
named after the holiday’s traditional main course
— Turkey, Texas; Turkey Creek, La.; and
Turkey, N.C. There are also nine townships
around the country named ―Turkey,‖ with three
in Kansas.
Wild turkeys, while technically the same species
as domesticated turkeys, have a very different
taste from farm-raised turkeys. Almost all of the
meat is "dark" (even the breasts) with a more
intense turkey flavor. Older heritage breeds also
differ in flavor.
Dog
When God made the earth and sky,
The flowers and the trees,
He then made all the animals Birthdays
And all the birds and bees, Angie Hodges- November 2nd
And When his work was finished Reese Davis- November 2nd
Not one was quite the same. Patty Hovious- November 3rd
He said, "I'll walk this earth of mine Steven Anderson- November 6th
And give each a name." Bill Hovious- November 6th
And so he traveled land and sea Loretta Stone- November 8th
And everywhere he went Hailey Wampler- November 9th
A little creature followed Him Jesse Wampler- November 9th
Until its strength was spent. Kari Brown- November 9th
When all were named upon the earth Ron Olsen- November 9th
And in the sky and sea, Charles Cooter- November 10th
The little creature said," Dear Lord, Beth Long- November 11th
There is not one left for me." Nicole Lirot- November 15th
The Father smiled and softly said Sandi Wampler- November 17th
"I've left you to the end. Sydney McClary- November 19th
I've turned my own name back to front Andrea Fletcher- November 24th
And call you Dog, my friend." Ed Hendrix- November 29th
~~~unknown Kristen Wampler- November 29th
Amber Ludlow- November 30th
Trevor Miller- November 30th

Anniversaries
Reed and Angie Hodges- November 1st
John & Sharon Turner- November 5th
John & Ann Lawson-November 15th

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Mt. Pleasant Christian Church
3191 W. Burma Rd.
Gosport, IN 47433
812-876-9149

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