Thanksgiving’s Miracles

As you know, I’m a history nut.  That said here are three miraculous reasons to give thanks next week during the Thanksgiving holiday:

Miracle #1 – The good ship Mayflower, and it’s 102-passengers (the Pilgrims), accidentally sailed right past the natural harbor they meant to land in. Good thing—it was full of hostile natives waiting to ambush them.

Miracle #2 – As they explored another harbor farther north (Plymouth Rock) they discovered an even better situation—a fresh water river teeming with fish, a large flat, previous cleared 3-acre field for growing crops, and a high hill perfect for their cannon to ward off enemies.  A Native Indian tribe that had succumbed to a recent plague had previously developed the farmland.  As such no Indian tribes wanted anything to do with the land.

Miracle #3 – An Indian named Samoset shocked the Pilgrims by speaking broken English.  Samoset then introduced the Pilgrims to his friend, Squanto, who spoke perfect English.  Together, Squanto and Samoset helped the settlers survive after the first winter.  That winter was a horrid one by the way, with nearly half of the Pilgrim community perishing from a variety of maladies.

As opposed to the North American settlers farther south in Jamestown who had a slogan, “Damn your soul, grow tobacco,” the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock were peaceful, God-fearing folks who had wonderful relationships with their native neighbors.  During that first Thanksgiving in November of 1621, the English families that had experienced great hardship fellowshipped with their Indian friends and thanked God.

Here’s to the true spirit of Thanksgiving!