Albert Kienle's Blog
Thanksgiving in Canada
Date: October 01, 2009 | Author: Albert Kienle
Thanksgiving in Canada - by Albert Kienle
I enjoy history; in this case, Canadian history.
The historical roots of our Thanksgiving are often shrouded in mystery and debate. But this we know: Canada's nationhood was built on the principle of Thanksgiving.
Even before Confederation in 1867, there had been Thanksgiving proclamations issued in Canada, the first one recorded being for 1799. Below is a partial list of the dates of the proclamations.
Proclamations:
Thursday, 10 Jan. 1799 for the signal victory over our enemy and for the manifold and inestimable blessings which our Kingdoms and Provinces have received and daily continue to receive
Thursday, 12 Aug. 1802 for God's mercies
Thursday, 6 Apr. 1815 for the end of the war with the United States of America and restoration of the blessings of Peace
Wednesday, 6 Feb. 1833 for the cessation of cholera
Tuesday, 18 June 1816 for the end of war between Great Britain and France
Tuesday, 6 Feb. 1838 to continue God's mercies
Thursday, 3 Jan. 1850 for God's mercies and cessation of grievous disease
Wednesday, 4 June 1856 for restoration of Peace with Russia
Wednesday, 11 Nov. 1863 for abundant harvest and continuation of Peace
Monday, 15 April 1872 for restoration to health of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales
Thursday, 6 Nov. 1884 for blessings of an abundant harvest
Tuesday, 21 June 1887, the 50th Anniversary of Her Majesty's accession to Throne
Saturday, 9 Aug. 1902, the King's Coronation, as a day of General Thanksgiving and rejoicing
Monday, 10 Nov. 1930, on Armistice Day
Monday, 10 Oct. 1938 (to 1956) for general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings with which the people of Canada have been favoured
On January 31, 1957, the Canadian Parliament proclaimed, "A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed ... to be observed on the 2nd Monday in October."
I wish to add this one: For Monday, 12 Oct. 2009, thanksgiving to our benevolent God for favourable weather when hopes were despairing allowing farmer to gather a better than expected harvest
My Proclamation
There are countless scriptures encouraging thanksgivings and promoting times of public Thanksgiving.
One of my favourites is Psalm 105:1. Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
This is my invitation and responsibility to give God thanks, utilize prayer power, and share His blessings.
Those who know me realize that I wear a physical, and increasingly challenging, disability, using a power chair for mobility. The question often arises, even in my own mind, how do I view my disability? I live out my life from two perspectives:
First, I view disability as a curse; part of the original curse emitting from Eden's garden into all the world, into every civilization, into every home, into every life, into my life. It is an intrusion, an invasion, into life's original design that steals, kills, and destroys. Therefore I cannot fully accept it or feel at home with it. Jesus came to give life and that with abundance. His life overrides this life and gives hope. Jim Wallis said, "Hope is believing in spite of the evidence and watching the evidence change."
Secondly, I can accept it with grace as a blessing. Paul gloried in his sufferings. So can I. I have seen God's grace and power demonstrated many times over. It has made me me a better person, given me a relationship with God I highly treasure, and opened doors of Holy Spirit witness. It's been said, "A journey with pain is a small price to pay to see God more clearly." For this I am thankful.
I wish to testify:
Recently, and not long into my drive back to Regina from the farm I became unusually tired. I struggled along. This was not good. I pulled over, bowed my head, calling on God for help. Suddenly, without warning, supernatural strength surged through me, and I whizzed along all the way on that energy surge. Coincidence? Are you kidding? Jesus rides shotgun with me!
While at the farm this last time I enjoyed seeing the harvest come off and watching the sunsets on an open field. As we now rent our land two huge combines rolled in and about twelve hours later the crops were off. Where are the days with small equipment which took more time but afforded more family time working together? I enjoyed watching in the sun's warmth with cattle lazing around in the foreground and threshing in the background. An idyllic scene; a foretaste of heavenly delights! And the sunsets! There's nothing like it, as they explode in brilliant colours! Sunsets in the city are nearly extinct, too many buildings. God paints splendidly on the canvas of the sky! These sights and sounds are a thankful blessing to me.
Yes, Jesus Christ is the great Equalizer in the sufferings of our lives. The Cross puts the 'BUT' into it! "We were ... but God!" (Eph. 2:3-4) I thank you Jesus!
I Am Able
Regardless of life's situations there are certain inalienable abilities we all possess and can be thankful for:
I am teachable
I am lovable
I am capable
I am excitable
I am profitable
I am approachable
I am vulnerable
I am honourable
I am includable
I am desirable
I am understandable
I am valuable
From the thorns of life Jesus can weave a crown of glory.
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." (2 Cor. 4:7-10)
Source: http://www.pch.gc.ca/pgm/ceem-cced/jfa-ha/graces-eng.cfm
