Alexander on Gratitude and Thanksgiving

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Subscribe to Alexander's Essays in The Patriot Post: click here. Alexander's Essay – November 23, 2011 Gratitude and Thanksgiving The genuine spirit of Thanksgiving. "I do recommend and assign Thursday ... next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be." --George Washington (October 3, 1789) Harvest of Plenty. My family will be celebrating this Thanksgiving in the mountains of Tennessee with extended family and friends in warm homes with plenty. Though no day of the year passes without expressions of gratitude to my Creator for His provision, I sometimes take blessings for granted. Most often my lack of gratitude stems from preoccupation with the challenges I face as an individual and those we face as a nation. I welcome this Thanksgiving week as an opportunity to pause, step back, and reflect upon how blessed we really are. One of the maxims by which we strive to live in our home, "Live third person, serving God first, others second and ourselves third," is supported by the fact that whenever we lose ourselves in selfish preoccupation, we can assuredly find ourselves through serving others. It is in that service that we lift the veil of vanity and rediscover God's purpose for our lives. One of the ways God has richly blessed this humble servant is by allowing me to serve Patriots across our nation and around the world. Along with my Patriot team, I am honored to share the burden of defending our inheritance of Liberty with pen, though our swords are always at the ready. We are grateful to stand with you, among millions of other Patriots, steadfast in that defense. To put our national Day of Thanksgiving into proper context is to consider it as emanating from the Hand of Providence. With this in mind, I invite you to take a moment and read about the The History and Legacy of Thanksgiving, and the proclamations for those that followed. Thanks be to God For a fine perspective on our great history, I encourage you to view "We still hold these truths" from my colleague, constitutional scholar Matt Spalding. To promote a better understanding of Thanksgiving among the young people in your life, introduce them to our Thanksgiving Quiz. For inspiration, you might read the text of My Beautiful America, whose author is a fellow Tennessean, Charlie Daniels. Better yet, listen to the song from this great Patriot. Tell us for what you are thankful! I humbly thank you for the privilege of serving as editor and publisher of The Patriot Post. On behalf of your Patriot team and our National Advisory Committee, I wish you a peaceful Thanksgiving, and God's blessings to you and your family. "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." --Psalm 100:4-5 I leave you with the words below from America the Beautiful by Katharine Lee Bates. Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus et Fidelis! Libertas aut Mortis! Mark Alexander Publisher, PatriotPost.US If you have the means, please take a moment to promote Liberty by supporting our Patriot Annual Campaign today. O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain, For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain! America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea! O beautiful for pilgrim feet Whose stern impassion'd stress A thoroughfare for freedom beat Across the wilderness. America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw, Confirm thy soul in self-control, Thy liberty in law. O beautiful for heroes prov'd In liberating strife, Who more than self their country lov'd, And mercy more than life. America! America! May God thy gold refine Till all success be nobleness, And ev'ry gain divine. O beautiful for patriot dream That sees beyond the years Thine alabaster cities gleam Undimmed by human tears. America! America! God shed His grace on thee, And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea. (To submit reader comments click here.) ***** (Please pray for our Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world, and for their families -- especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who granted their lives in defense of American liberty.) Follow The Patriot Post:

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