A Few Of FR's Finest....Every Day....11-27-03 thru 11-30-03....Happy Thanksgiving To The Finest

Mama_Bear | 11-27-03 | Mama_Bear

[dansangel]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997. Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay, or a profile of another FReeper.

On Mondays please visit us to see photos of A FEW OF FR'S VETERANS AND ACTIVE MILITARY

If you have a suggestion, or an idea, or if there's a FReeper you would like to see featured, please drop one of us a note in FR mail.

We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Mama_Bear, dansangel, dutchess, Aquamarine ~

Thanksgiving
by Edgar Guest

GETTIN' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.

Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.

In searching for a Thanksgiving prayer, I came across this from last year. I don't think I could find anything more fitting to include in this years Thanksgiving presentation. Thank you, Michelle Malkin, for this.....

November 27, 2002

By Michelle Malkin

Dear Heavenly Father,

As we gather together to count our blessings, 381 years after the first Thanksgiving Day, we realize how little appreciation we have expressed for this thy bounty:

For sunbeams and sunsets and sun-kissed cheeks, for rainbows and raindrops and rain sticks, for mountain dew and prairie frost, for harvest moons and shooting stars, we give thee praise.

For Blueberry Hill and Blackberry Creek, for Apple Valley and Orange County, for Plum Borough and Peachtree City, for Pineapple Park and Coconut Grove, we give thee praise.

For coal miners and construction workers, for truckers and bakers, for mail sorters and short-order cooks, for ranch hands and stage hands, for accountants who keep honest books, for politicians who keep their promises, for stay-at-home moms and double-shift dads, we give thee praise.

O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, we thank you this day for "Proud to Be an American" and "These Colors Don't Run," for "Let Freedom Ring" and "Of Thee I Sing," for "Every Heart Beats True" and for "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue."

For Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars, for Green Berets and Gold Stripes, for the 10th Mountain Division and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, for the KC-130 Crew and the 101st Airborne Division, for the soldiers and SEALS and special forces who made the ultimate sacrifice this year, and for all who continue to protect and to serve, we give thee praise.

For the Border Patrol and citizens on patrol, for the National Guard and Guardian Angels, for the USO and the VFW, we thank you, O God, our creator and redeemer.

For the Pentagon rebuilt and Ground Zero restored and the faith of a nation renewed, for "Semper Paratus" and "Non sibi sed patriae," for "Never forget" and "Never surrender," for freedom from fear and freedom to dream, for free minds and free markets, for freedom with responsibility, we give thee praise.

For the Song of Solomon and the Prayer of St. Francis, for "the Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer," for "without vision we perish," for Proverbs 28, for John 3:16, for "The Old Rugged Cross," for "The Solid Rock," and for "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," we offer eternal thanks.For "All men are created equal," for "Tear down this wall," for "Ask not what your country can do for you," for "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," for "I swear to uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies foreign and domestic," we give thee praise.

For iron will, for steely resolve, for mettle tested and time-worn, for uncommon valor that never sleeps, for steady hands, sturdy legs, broad shoulders, and level heads, for stiff upper lips, for blood, sweat and tears, for conquering our fears, and for unbending courage in the face of the unknown, we give thee praise.

O Father, we come to thee on this national day to join with heart and voice all the people of our blessed land to honor and thank thee. We ask you, Lord, as our forefathers did in times of strife, "to inspire our commanders both by land and sea, and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States the greatest of all blessings: independence and peace."

For precious life itself in this great nation—under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all—we thank thee, O Father. Amen.

Michelle Malkin is author of Invasion: How America Still Welcomes Terrorists, Criminals, and Other Foreign Menaces to Our Shores. Click here for Michelle Malkin's website.

Copyright 2002 Creators Syndicate, INC.

This holiday thread will run through Sunday, November 30th.
Please drop by when time permits and share a cup of fellowship
with us. New FRiends and old FRiends are always welcome at
our cyber table. So, pull up a chair ~ we are glad you are here.

We now return to our regularly scheduled program...

To you and your family,
from the "Finest" hostesses ~
Billie, Mama_Bear, Dansangel, Dutchess, Aquamarine

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 11-24-03...Military Monday 11-25-03...Countdown To The Holidays 11-26-03...Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

Click on the photo to view the album. To
submit your photo, please contact danangel or .45man at danbh59@yahoo.com
and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

[dansangel]

((((((((MP))))))))

Enjoy a Blessd and Happy Thanksgiving today. May it be a beautiful day of love and reflection.

[SAMWolf]

Thanksgiving Proclamations

---

THANKSGIVING DAY 1863

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

...In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign states to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere, except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union...

...I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

---

THANKSGIVING DAY 1898

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

...The skies have been for a time darkened by the cloud of war, but as we were compelled to take up the sword in the cause of humanity we are permitted to rejoice that the conflict has been of brief duration and the losses we have had to mourn, though grievous and important, have been so few, considering the great results accomplished, as to inspire us with gratitude and praise to the Lord of Hosts...

WILLIAM McKINLEY

---

THANKSGIVING 1917

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

It has long been the honored custom of our people to turn in the fruitful autumn of the year in praise and thanksgiving to Almighty God for His many blessings and mercies to us as a nation. That custom we can follow now even in the midst of the tragedy of a world shaken by war and immeasurable disaster, in the midst of sorrow and great peril, because even amidst the darkness that has gathered about us we can see the great blessings God has bestowed upon us, blessings that are better than mere peace of mind and prosperity of enterprise.

WOODROW WILSON

---

THANKSGIVING DAY, 1943

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

God’s help to us has been great in this year of march towards world-wide liberty. In brotherhood with warriors of other United Nations our gallant men have won victories, have freed our homes from fear, have made tyranny tremble, and have laid the foundation for freedom of life in a world which will be free. Our forges and hearths and mills have wrought well; and our weapons have not failed. Our farmers, Victory gardeners, and crop volunteers have gathered and stored a heavy harvest in the barns and bins and cellars. Our total food production for the year is the greatest in the annals of our country...

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

---

THANKSGIVING DAY, 1953

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

As a Nation much blessed, we feel impelled at harvest time to follow the tradition handed down by our Pilgrim fathers of pausing from our labors for one day to render thanks to Almighty God for His bounties. Now that the year is drawing to a close, once again it is fitting that we incline our thoughts to His mercies and offer to Him our special prayers of gratitude... Especially are we grateful this year for the truce in battle-weary Korea, which gives to anxious men and women throughout the world the hope that there may now be an enduring peace.

DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

---

THANKSGIVING DAY, 1967

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

...Over the years, we have made Thanksgiving a unique national occasion. Thanking God for His goodness, we thank Him as well for the promise and achievement of America. Our reasons for gratitude are almost without number.... Much as we are grateful for these material and spiritual blessings, we are conscious, in this year, of special sorrows and disappointments. We are engaged in a painful conflict in Asia, which was not of our choosing, and in which we are involved in fidelity to a sacred promise to help a nation which has been the victim of aggression. We are proud of the spirit of our men who are risking their lives on Asian soil. We pray that their sacrifice will be redeemed in an honorable peace and the restoration of a land long torn by war...

LYNDON B. JOHNSON

---

THANKSGIVING DAY, 1991

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

...As we continue the Thanksgiving tradition, a tradition cherished by every generation of Americans, we reflect in a special way on the blessings of the past year. When this Nation and its coalition partners took up arms in a last-resort effort to repel aggression in the Persian Gulf, we were spared the terrible consequences of a long and protracted struggle. Indeed, the millions of people who prayed for a quick end to the fighting saw those prayers answered with a swiftness and certainty that exceeded all expectations. During the past year, we have also witnessed the demise of communism and welcomed millions of courageous people into the community of free nations.

GEORGE BUSH

---

THANKSGIVING DAY, 2003

By the President of the United States : a Proclamation

....America is a land of abundance, prosperity, and hope. We must never take for granted the things that make our country great: a firm foundation of freedom, justice, and equality; a belief in democracy and the rule of law; and our fundamental rights to gather, speak, and worship freely.

These liberties do not come without cost. Throughout history, many have sacrificed to preserve our freedoms and to defend peace around the world. Today, the brave men and women of our military continue this noble tradition. These heroes and their loved ones have the gratitude of our Nation.

GEORGE W. BUSH

[SpookBrat]

I'm leaving the house now. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Hope to get back here tonight. ((((group hug)))

11/19/1921
Norman Rockwell
"Make a Wish"

<-----click

[SpookBrat]

(((((((running out the door bear hug))))))))

Love to you and your family.

[jwfiv]

Today is a special day...may it full of Joy and Grace for us all.

wishin' all Freeper pilgrims a wonderful Thanksgiving Day...)

(Mrs. Bear...verrrry nice thread for this day...thank you....)

[MEG33]

I love the song.Thank you!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks Spooky. Happy Thanksgiving

[The Mayor]

God had made them rejoice with great joy . . . , so that the joy of Jerusalem was heard afar off. —Nehemiah 12:43

Each new day gives us new reasons to sing God's praise.

[xp38]

Thank you for the kind thoughts {{{dansangel}}}. I'm in Canada so we had our Thanksgiving in early October but I was at the time on a trip in the US so I missed it. Normal workday up here otherwise. Nevertheless always thankful for the many blessings and of course wishing a Happy Thanksgiving and hopefully long weekend to everyone.

[LadyX]

Wonderful, wonderful presentation and graphics, Mama_Bear!
Thank you, dansy, for stepping up to the Thanksgiving plate and posting and hostessing in her day with family.

In honor of the valiant heroes serving in the military, here and abroad,
I hereby dedicate this Thanksgiving Turkey to them:

May the God in Whose Name this nation was created
be with each and every one of them and their families;
protect them, give then courage and strength,
and be with them always.
Amen

We are indebted to them for so nobly carrying the torch
of freedom for us, acting not with aggression, but in the hope
that others might share in this blessed kind of life.
We keep in mind and are truly thankful every day they act
so we might be spared as much evil from others as is possible.

[MEG33]

Amen to your post.I know you've celebrated earlier but I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving Day!

[LadyX]

"Each new day gives us new reasons to sing God's praise"

So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart.

—Arthur Guiterman The First Thanksgiving

May each of you have a truly blessed day...

[Libertina]

Happy Thanksgiving
Friends make life beautiful!
Thank you FR's Finest :)

[The Mayor]

Happy Thanksgiving to All


My ancestor John Stearns is in here somewhere.


God Bless and have a great Day.

[LadyX]

So glad you are here, Meggie!
Was thinking of how we spent so many Thanksgivings in our youth in military settings...think I had about 5 Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday meals in them, either because of finances or moving issues...

The most memorable one, though, was when after two years, we finally got Base Quarters in Fairbanks, Eielson AFB some 30 miles south of civilization.

Bold me invited seven very lonely and hungry for a Family Thanksgiving fellows from my husband's outfit to join our family of five.
Although I'd never had to prepare a big holiday meal for many, nonetheless (without help other than table setting) I rose to the challenge, and served it precisely at 2 p.m. as promised.

For some unknown reason, someone requested duck as well as turkey, and I had to produce! LOL
Made the six pies the night before, and decrusted and cubed buckets of bread for homemade dressing, chopped the celery and onions, etc. On Thanksgiving morning, peeled and mashed potatoes until I was blue - plus all the other stuff.

It was so worth it as we sat around the table and I looked at their faces, so moved and appreciative I nearly burst out in tears.

Grace was said holding hands with our family, a Jew, a black man, Catholics and Protestants - all united in one God and his beneficence...

[MEG33]

Thank you for the wonderful Thanksgiving story.I've learned even non chef type males can smash potatoes and I invite them to take over!

[dansangel]

Normal workday up here otherwise. Nevertheless always thankful for the many blessings and of course wishing a Happy Thanksgiving and hopefully long weekend to everyone.

We really appreciate the neighborly greetings. I hope your workday flies by for you, though I hope my day off passes slowly - LOL!

Be safe.

[dansangel]

(((((SamWolf))))))

Thank you so much for the historical post. Have a Blessed, Safe and Happy Thanksgiving. God's blessings to you and yours.

[dansangel]

Thanks again, sweetie. Check back with us again if you can later on. Enjoy!

[dansangel]

((((((jwfiv))))))

Blessings to you and your loved ones.