This week for school we are taking a break from our normal history curriculum and are instead learning about the Pilgrims, the Mayflower, and all things Thanksgiving. As usual, I am learning as much (if not more) than the kids. 🙂
I wanted to share with you some of the facts that we learned yesterday about the Pilgrims. They were aboard the Mayflower for ninety-seven days! These days were filled with storms, which led to much seasickness (think no running toilets). During these days, the Pilgrims ate rancid meat and insect-filled bread. And also during this trip, the Mayflower’s crew of sailors ridiculed and mistreated the Pilgrims because they were religious and sang psalms each morning. 
Did you notice that last sentence? They sang psalms each morning. That fact really challenged me. During this very difficult voyage and scary, uncertain time in their lives, they gathered together and sang psalms. The Pilgrims gave praise to God each morning.
In her book, Thanksgiving, A Time to Remember, Barbara Rainey writes, “On the ninety-seventh day at sea, the Pilgrim’s caught a glimpse of their destination, the new land where God would be worshiped freely. Shouting for joy and falling to these knees to pray, they celebrated by reading Psalm 100.”
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his;[a]
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
I am challenged this Thanksgiving week to give thanks to God in all circumstances. When things are good or when things are hard, I can always give thanks to God for his steadfast love that endures forever!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, DEAR READERS!
p.s. Here’s a fun fact you can share with your friends and family this Thanksgiving. A baby was born during the voyage of the Mayflower. His parents named him Oceanus! Wow!
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