I have no clue who H. U. Westermayer is. I tried “Googling” the name and consistently came up with this single quote and only this—no biographical notes, no commentary, nothing. I don’t know Westermayer’s gender, ethnicity, or religious affiliation, but I know this: Of all the quotes I’ve read on Thanksgiving, this one stands out the most to me. Why? I think it’s because it forces me to face the fact that life isn’t always easy, but that whatever our circumstances, we have much for which to be thankful. I think the apostle, Paul, said it best in his letter to the Philippians when he declared, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil 4: 11-13)
After researching and reviewing the travails of our pilgrim forefathers, I am ashamed of some of the things about which I have ever uttered even the tiniest complaint! Unless you’re a history buff, my guess is that you, too, have forgotten much of what these early settlers encountered:
- It took three attempts to finally set sail from England due to issues with a second ship, the Speedwell, which was originally intended to sail to America along with the Mayflower.
- Of the 102 passengers who were on the Mayflower, only two did not survive the voyage; however, after their first winter (spent on the ship off the coast of Massachusetts) only 53 of the original passengers survived.
- The Mayflower veered off-course during its more than two months at sea and landed some 600 miles from the ship’s original destination. It was supposed to hit landfall somewhere near the Hudson River in an area of northern Virginia, but instead arrived off the rocky coast of Massachusetts after winter had already moved into the area, a harsh New England winter at that.
- Their arrival was documented by William Bradford, a prominent member of the pilgrim expedition who was thereafter elected Governor of the new Plymouth Colony, “Being thus arrived in a good harbor and brought safe to land, they fell upon their knees and blessed the God of heaven, who had brought them over the vast and furious ocean, and delivered them from all the perils and miseries thereof”.
In the thirty-five plus years that David and I have been married, we have shared much joy as well as much heartache. We’ve rejoiced in the births of our children (and grandchild) and wept unashamedly as our parents, grandparents, and other oh-so-loved ones departed this life. We’ve watched our children grow into beautiful, responsible, loving adults and known first-hand the fear of losing one of them. We’ve had job-related successes as well as disappointments. We’ve enjoyed fun-filled times with friends and family members and grieved over not-so-fun-filled times. We’ve laughed—we’ve cried. And through it all, did we always give thanks? The honest—I’m not proud of—answer is, “No!” Did we thank Him at each and every opportunity we could? For the happy times, probably (I can’t even say definitely), but the hard times? I can’t say that we always have! We truly know what it’s like to have plenty and what it’s like to be in need, and yet I cannot say that we have always been thankful for the times of need. What I CAN say is that as the years go by, we are learning. We are learning to be thankful for the trials as well as the triumphs. We are learning through the trials that God is always in control and that ONLY by placing our trust in Him can we begin to grasp His overwhelming love for us. We are learning, too, that when we suffer, He cares. He really, really cares. We are learning that no matter how difficult the situation, He is always there for us to give us strength and that no matter how dark things may seem, He is always there to guide us into the light. We are learning above all that God is always FOR us, that He shares our joy as well as our heartache. For that alone, I can be thankful.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Y'ALL,
FROM OUR BLESSINGS TO YOURS!
