By Rosie Moore

This time of the year our thoughts naturally turn to food. We have the harvest of foods in the beginning of Autumn, then we consume those foods later in the season. I was amazed to learn how often food is mentioned in God’s Word. In the book of Deuteronomy the Israelites were promised a good land, full of vines, wheat, barley, figs, pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey. The ancients might not have known the word “antioxidant” but they were onto something with this list of biblical “super foods.”

God promised the Israelites a land of “milk and honey” when Moses led them out of Egypt. However, God decided to lead them through the wilderness first. The Israelites were not happy about this. They murmured and groaned, “we should have stayed in Egypt where we at least had food”. God heard their groans and sent them a little round bread, called manna, and sweet water. Every morning God sent them manna on the ground. When they finally entered Canaan they were given a bounty of delicious foods.

I imagine that the Pilgrims who arrived in America might have felt like the Israelites did for a while. They went through a bitter, cold winter, in a strange land, filled with a strange people. They had to learn to grow different foods the following summer with the help of the Indians and the next autumn they put aside a day of thanksgiving because they  were so thankful to be in a promised land away from religious persecution and also thankful for the good food they had.

What foods were present on that first Thanksgiving? Roast duck and goose while clams and lobster made an appearance in New England. The forest provided chestnuts and walnuts while the crops provided squash, peas, and carrots. But, no corn on the cob. The only corn present then was dried.

As the centuries rolled along different foods were presented and eventually became our usual norm for that day, such as turkey and pumpkin pies. I’m pretty sure that the Pilgrims ate turkey on thanksgiving but pumpkin pies came along a little later. Today we have such a large variety of different foods that God has sent us, such as avocadoes, artichokes, quinoa, and so many others. I hope we remembered on Thanksgiving Day to thank the farmers who grow our fruits and vegetables and also thank God for the sunshine and rain that nourished them.

Thought for the day: When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the morning light, for your life and strength. Give thanks for your food, and the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies with yourself. Tecumseh, Shawnee chief.

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