Thanksgiving Day was always a time to reflect about being thankful. The Pilgrims first celebrated Thanksgiving in 1621 after their first harvest after landing in the New World. Thanksgiving was a feast that lasted three days which included 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. It was common for the colonists in that day to have days of thanksgiving, or days of prayer, in which to thank the Lord for their many blessings. It was the Old School way of doing things.

I’m Old School, I’ll admit. I was born during the baby boomer generation in 1951 where Dad worked at a jobsite 8 hours a day, five days a week and Mom stayed home as a homemaker. Mom was happy to have babies, clean her house, fix all the meals, wash all the dirty clothes (which she hung outside on a clothes line to dry), she did all the shopping by herself, took care of the doctor’s and dental appointments, did all the school stuff and anything that came up out of the ordinary that had to be done. Sounds more like a Mother’s Day appreciation, doesn’t it. No, just Old School ways.

I’m thankful that we still live in a free country where we can choose which church, Synagogue or temple we want to worship in without persecution or threat by the government. I’m thankful for the U. S. Constitution that Christian men from several different Christian faiths took the time to put together for all peoples of all faiths to enjoy the freedom that this great country has always offered it’s law abiding citizens. That’s definitely Old School.

I’m thankful that people like myself and others I hang out with (Old School) do not have to be afraid to say what we think, to speak the Truth without fear of being called a bigot, or if we are called bigot, to not let others thoughts imprison our own beliefs of who we really are. I’m thankful for our military who are not afraid to protect the American people at whatever the costs, to protect our freedom at home and abroad. I’m also thankful for our laws, law enforcement personnel, the local police, state troopers, wild life and border patrol. Without these brave men and women protecting us, our lives would be full of chaos and lawlessness all around us. Old School thankfulness?

I’m Old School, that’s right. Old School is not about being old. It’s about an attitude that flourishes in a culture of God fearing people. People who believe in one God and Jesus Christ whom God sent into the world to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). These same people, our ancestors, came to America during difficult times similar to what we face now for the freedom of living their Christian faith without persecution. They only wanted to succeed in life by following basic belief standards that Almighty God set up for His creation from the beginning of time. These same standards are true today in the Holy Bible, the manual of life to succeed not only in this life, but eternal life. I am thankful that God’s plan from the beginning, according to the Holy Bible, was to bring us to the knowledge and saving grace of Jesus Christ. With the history of life from Genesis through the Old Testament, we see Almighty God as Creator, Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Jesus is seen all throughout the Old Testament and of course, in the Gospels. Jesus is carried throughout the epistles of Paul, the letters of the apostles and to the end in Revelation.

I’m thankful for the Good News of Jesus Christ, that God did not spare His own Son, but sent His Son to the earth to be an atonement for all the sins of the world. The punishment of our sins were put on Jesus Christ, which He took to the cross on Calvary so that we could live in the Kingdom of God forever. I’m thankful that I have a Savior for my sins so that I can be forgiven of my sins and receive the Holy Ghost to make me a new creation in Christ, born again in the spirit as a promise to spend eternity in Heaven with God the Father, God Jesus, God Holy Spirit and all the Saints before us. I’m thankful and proud of Jesus Christ for doing what no one else could ever do to please Almighty God forever. Thanks be to God.

I hope today Almighty God will bless you with the knowledge of His beloved son, Jesus Christ, as you prepare your heart for the receiving of this Christmas celebration just a month away. May you be blessed with the best Christmas ever as you realize why we celebrate Jesus Christ coming from Heaven to earth, from the earth to the cross, from the cross to the grave and from the grave to the sky. Because Jesus came to live among us, we have a record of eye witnesses that share the hope from God to His children that Jesus will return to the earth again in the same way He left, to bring us back with Him (in the twinkling of an eye He says) into eternal salvation, to all who have committed their lives to follow Him forever.

Merry Christmas to All, amen and Amen.

Mark Conway is a Christian evangelist living in Sterling with his wife Maryna. You may contact Mark by email at akmark50@hotmail.com.