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Dear CSC Family and Friends,
As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving today, one could reasonably ask, ”What’s to give
THANKS for,” given a year that included a pandemic that has seen over a quarter of a million
fellow Americans die, including 3,500 (plus) Alabamians of which 459 are from Baldwin (98)
and Mobile (361) Counties. On top of the pandemic, the entire Gulf Coast has had to endure
the worst hurricane season on record and if that wasn’t enough to try your faith, we are
witnessing the theft of a presidential election (more on that below) by those committed to
“Fundamentally Changing America.”
So, realistically looking at it, it is not unreasonable to question what’s to be thankful for? Yet,
while that may be reasonable, it is still off the mark, because our Christian faith provides the
answer. Note below how Washington framed why we need to give thanks to God--his answer
is to look at the “Big Picture”—despite how difficult and bleak things may look, find what truly
matters to be thankful for—Washington saw it like this:
“…—for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence
which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of
tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational
manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our
safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the
civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring
and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath
been pleased to confer upon us.”
So, while the pandemic has been truly destructive, we are on the verge of having a vaccine to
control it; while the hurricanes did great damage, look at how our communities rallied together
to get through them; and while the specter of a radical-Left takeover through a stolen election
remains a possibility, the clear constitutional violations of state election laws in several key battle-
ground states are being challenged in court as we speak=don’t give up now!
Please take a minute to read all of Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation—it will renew your
sense of American Exceptionalism in that Washington asks God to provide for all people that
which he has bestowed on America—we are to be the example of that “Shining City on a Hill”
that lays out for others the path to follow: “…to render our national government a blessing to
all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws,…”
Thanksgiving Proclamation
New York, 3 October 1789
(Bold is added by the author.)
By the President of the United States of America. a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to
obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and
favor—and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God
especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their
safety and happiness.”
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November 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—That we may
then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks—for his kind care and
protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation—for the signal and
manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in
the course and conclusion of the late war—for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty,
which we have since enjoyed—for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been
enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and
particularly the national One now lately instituted—for the civil and religious liberty with
which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;
and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon
us. and also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications
to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions—to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several
and relative duties properly and punctually—to render our national government a blessing to
all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws,
discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed—to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government,
peace, and concord—To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue,
and the encrease of science among them and us—and generally to grant unto all
Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New-York the third day of October in the year of our Lord
1789.
Go: Washington
Source: “Thanksgiving Proclamation, 3 October 1789,” Founders Online, National Archives,
last modified June 29, 2017,
On this 400th Anniversary of the Mayflower’s voyage, let’s take Washington’s praise of God for
his blessings as a reminder that we, who have so much, should be even more thankful for what
God has given us today.
On behalf of CSC's Board, all of us want to wish all of you and your families a very Happy
Thanksgiving! Dr. Lou
PS: I wanted to share again a favorite Norman Rockwell painting of an American Thanksgiving
during WWII--it perhaps represents a bygone era, yet it reminds us that it was those people in
the painting who won the War and laid the groundwork for the success we have today. They
deserve our thanks and it is incumbent upon us to preserve a truthful rendering of American
History—that is one of the reasons we have and continue to fight to get rid of Common Core
and its anti-American view of our history.
Norman Rockwell was a 20th-century American author, painter and illustrator. He is most
famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life he created for The Saturday Evening Post
magazine over nearly five decades. Some of them become national icons and many of the
most familiar ones pertain to the Thanksgiving celebration.
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