Thoughts on Thanksgiving

“Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling so that we might, after a special manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. They four in one day killed as much fowl as… served the company almost a week… Many of the Indians came amongst us and… their greatest King, Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted; and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought… And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God we are…far from want.”

~ Edward Winslow, Plymouth, Massachusetts, December, 1621

O Thou Who has given us so much, mercifully grant us one more thing: a grateful heart.

--George Herbert (3 April 1593 – 1 March 1633) Welsh born English poet, orator, and until the day of his death, rector of the little parish of Fugglestone St Peter with Bemerton St Andrew, near Salisbury.