November 20, 2024 – Thanksgiving: The History and the Heart

Mercy Every Minute

Deborah Wuehler, TOS Senior Editor

Thanksgiving Prayer

The history: Our forebears persevered through danger, disease, and death until the remaining seeds of a free Godly life were planted and began to bear fruit and this great nation was born. We are still the greatest and most free nation in the earth today because of our Godly beginnings. 

The heart: Even in the midst of persecution, uprooting, sickness, disease, hardship and loneliness, our forefathers (and determined mothers) remained strong in their faith and in their desire to forge the way for true freedom.

Homeschooling today can be like their journey yesterday: we have a vision of freedom. We have a mission of independence. Freedom from government control, freedom for our youth to thrive and grow, and ultimately, freedom to follow and worship the One True God. 

Yes, there are hard days, seasons, and years. But as we are faithful to the vision of a good and Godly heritage for the following generations, and as we persevere, we will see our small seeds planted and begin to bear fruit. 

Gratitude goes a long way in the battle of perseverance. Thankfulness is the weapon against the enemy who lies and says we are failures, we can’t do this, we are ruining the next generation. Thankfulness defeats that enemy who is trying hard to defeat us. Join me in this Thanksgiving Prayer:

“Thank you, LORD, for the freedom to educate Your children for Your glory! Thank you, God, for giving us all we need for life and godliness through Your Word. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for being our Helper and leading us into truth in this culture of lies. Thank you, Jesus, for going before us, and leading us in paths of righteousness for Your Name’s Sake.” 

And thank you, homeschool dad and mom, for continuing forward in the face of hardship. In due season, you will reap if you do not lose heart. 

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). 

~Deborah

Save Time with Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Dishes, by Yvie Field, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, Fall 2019 

A Thanksgiving Unit Study, The Homeschool Minute, November 22, 2023 

The Power of Please and Thank You by Deborah Wuehler, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, Fall 2010

Teach your children the TRUE story of our American Thanksgiving, how the Pilgrims endured many hardships, and God’s deliverance. Visit FACE.net/Thanksgiving for this free download.

Todd Wilson

Familyman Ministries

ThanksKEEPING

Wow! Is it possible that Thanksgiving is coming up? That means Christmas is in…auggg! Maybe it’s better if we take one holiday at a time. 

You know, if you think about it, Thanksgiving is only ThanksGIVING if you give someone thanks. I mean, if you just think it and never say thank you, it’s thanksKEEPING. That’s the great thing about the holiday. It gives us an official reason to thank God and the people who need thanking.

This year I’ve got a plan. I stole the idea from my sister-in-law, but I’ve always believed that the best parenting ideas are the ones you steal. It’s pretty simple. All you need is a jar or container, a few slips of paper, and a pencil or pen. Then place the container along with the paper and pen in a conspicuous place like the kitchen or dining room table.

Next, gather the family and instruct them that for the next week, they are to write down what they’re thankful for and place it in the container. Then, on or near Thanksgiving Day, take a few minutes after the ‘holiday madness’ has calmed down, gather your family together again, and read the slips of paper out loud. Then pray and thank God for many of the things written down.

That’s it.

Matter of fact, I think I’ll announce it tonight at dinnertime.

By the way, I’m thankful for you and all that you do as homeschooling moms and dads. 

Keep up the good work and . . . be real.

Todd

P.S. – Now’s the time to plan for some Christmas family fun. We have all kinds of resources at our website including the Familyman Christmas treasury (nine original Christmas read-a-louds) and the world-famous Christmas Board Game—To Bethlehem. Get them now so you have plenty of time to enjoy them during the Christmas season.

About the author

Todd Wilson is a dad, granddad, writer, conference speaker, and former pastor. Todd’s humor and down to earth realness have made him a favorite speaker at homeschool conventions, retreats, and churches across the country. As founder of Familyman Ministries and the Smiling Homeschooler, his passion and mission are to remind dads and moms of what’s most important through weekly e-mails, podcasts (The Familyman Show & The Smiling Homeschooler), seminars, and books and products that encourage parents. Todd, and his wife Debbie, still homeschool two of their eight children (six have graduated with four married) in northern Indiana. You can read more at www.familymanweb.com.

History, Bible, and Literature 1/2 credits! Grades 6-12, Honors Option. Instructor Beth Cuvelier: attorney with years teaching Constitutional Law and Homeschooling. Register at www.epicorderoftheseven.com!

Christine Weller

Discovering the Heart of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is more than a day of feasting—it’s a celebration of gratitude rooted in faith and history, an opportunity to teach our children about acknowledging God’s goodness in all things. Originally, the Pilgrims held a feast in 1621, giving thanks for a successful harvest and honoring their reliance on God in a challenging new world. Nearly two centuries later, President Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday, reminding Americans to pause and express gratitude to “our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

As homeschool families, Thanksgiving offers us a chance to go deeper, teaching our children that gratitude is a posture of the heart, not just a once-a-year tradition. We can start with Scriptures like 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 

Here are a few ways to cultivate gratitude as a family:

Gratitude Journals: Encourage each child to write down three things they’re thankful for daily. Over time, this practice builds a mindset of thankfulness, even for small, everyday blessings.

Gratitude Tree: Create a family tree of blessings by adding a paper leaf with something you’re thankful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving. This will remind kids to see how God continually provides.

Acts of Service: Show that gratitude is best expressed through giving. Whether baking for a neighbor, volunteering, or sharing toys, these acts of kindness teach children that gratitude leads to generosity.

This Thanksgiving, let’s focus on more than traditions—let’s teach our kids the true heart of Thanksgiving. As we gather, let Psalm 100:4 inspire us to “enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise.” Happy Thanksgiving, homeschool families!

About the author

Christine Weller has been homeschooling her two boys, 10 and 6, since birth in the lovely province of Ontario, Canada. She is also a mom blogger and children’s book author. She is currently working to support homeschoolers everywhere through various roles at The Old Schoolhouse®.

Pillar of Hope

Kristen Heider

Thanksgiving: The History and the Heart

“Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

For me, this sums up the spirit of Thanksgiving perfectly. We rejoice with family and friends. We pray together for the year ahead. And we give thanks to God. The holiday season begins as we open our hearts to God in a thankful way.

Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday season in our home. And each year, the holiday season brings renewed hope. With this holiday focused upon giving thanks and rejoicing in what we have, it is also easy to see hope for the future. 

When one feels overwhelmed and distraught, one of the ways to combat these feelings is to start looking for ways we can be grateful. One year, I wrote down one thing I was grateful for every day—365 days of looking for things that I was grateful for in my life. This was during a difficult season, so some days were harder than others. Whenever I stumble upon those pages now, I flip through and see that I did have so much to be thankful for in that year. Even with all the troubles that life was bringing our family, there were bright shining moments. God had given me much to rejoice in. 

This is an easy activity to transfer to your homeschool life. You and your children can keep a gratitude journal. This could be recorded as individual journals or one for the entire family. If you do one for the entire family, then you only need to write down one thing for the entire day. Or you could keep a gratitude jar. Have everyone write down on slips of paper something they would like to give thanks for. After a set time, open the jar and read the slips of paper. This would be a perfect activity for Thanksgiving weekend. Read last year’s slips, and remember the past in a thankful way.  

https://momquesttoteach.blogspot.com/2019/11/holidays-thanksgiving.html

About the author

Kristen is a housewife and mother to three, having worked at a national park site, a metropolitan zoo, and as a history teacher. Kristen blogs at A Mom’s Quest to Teach, where she relates her family’s learning experiences. Her site is a regular column, covering elements of teaching, crafting, and all the roller coaster rides that entail being a mom.

Looking for some fun Thanksgiving activities? Be sure to check out the Fall Resources on SchoolhouseTeachers.com for a full list of Thanksgiving resources, including Thanksgiving-themed games from the Everyday Games course.