Thanksgiving Legend of Five Kernels of Corn!

(Kind of “Corny” but – Use it if you care to!  I got from 
an unknowing “volunteer” – so you’re entitled.

Happy Thanksgiving + God’s blessings to us and ours!)

Being happy, and thankful, to have you in my life., I as most of the people in The United States will soon celebrate Thanksgiving.  Generally, we celebrate it by eating a huge meal, which almost always includes turkey and gravy, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rolls, cranberry sauce, veggies and dessert—maybe pumpkin pie.  Those who prepare the meal for us often spend days thinking, shopping and in the kitchen cooking up special foods, and if you are like me, everyone is as stuffed as the turkey when the meal is done.

But before digging into the feast, most people give thanks for their many blessings that God has given them and us this past year, just like the Pilgrims did. I’ll bet that someone at your table knows the story of the first Thanksgiving in their new home of Jamestown Virginia. It was very difficult for the Pilgrims.  They were not prepared for the harsh weather and their supplies did not last to long or through the cold winter.  Some people in their little group starved to death in that first year.  If it weren't for the help they received from others, the Native Americans, they might have all died.  So in thanks to God for their first harvest, and the help from their new friends, the Pilgrims invited those Native Americans to dinner, and together they shared a wonderful feast, like we will. 

The second winter was also very difficult.  Again, the Pilgrims did not have enough food. There is a story or maybe history, that there were times when each member of the colony were only allowed 5 kernels of corn to eat for a whole day.  Not as much as they wanted but only 5 kernels of corn! Yet the people had faith that God would take care of them, no matter what, and they pulled through.  Nobody died that second winter.  And the following harvest was huge!  There was so much corn that the Pilgrims were able to help the Native Americans.

So they held a second Thanksgiving feast, again inviting their new neighbors to come.  Massasoit, the Indian chief, came with his wife, several other chiefs, 120 braves and brought meat they had hunted.  All sat down to a feast of 12 venison, 6 goats, 50 hogs and pigs, many turkeys, vegetables, grapes, nuts, plums, puddings and pies.  WOW!

But, to remind everyone of the hard times they had had earlier and that all were thankful, the Pilgrims and their guests sat down to “Empty Plates”!  Each person’s was given only 5 kernels of corn.  A reminder to all that they and others had suffered so much that previous winter, and of how much they had to be thankful for that particular Thanksgiving day. 

Try it! Give each dinner guest and family member a little bag with 5 kernels of corn in it.   And then before your Thanksgiving meal, ask everyone to tell or think silently of 5 things for which they are thankful.  Maybe you could go around the table and put 5 kernels of corn on each person's plate before the meal, and have them share their 5 things for which they are thankful.

Whatever you decide, I and mine wish you and yours a blessing filled and Happy Thanksgiving!  And I/we want you to know that one thing for which we are thankful is you and your friendship and kindness and frankly I personally need a lot more pieces of corn since I have a lot of wonderful things and people, like you, for which I can say “Thanks God”!  Tom/Lynn.