Washington declared that the fourth Thursday of November of each year be set aside for the expression of “sincere and humble thanks to God for his kind care and protection of the people of this country”.

His proclamation reads “General Thanksgiving. By the President of America. A proclamation. Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God – to obey his will – to be grateful for his benefits – and humbly to implore his protection and favor:  And whereas both houses have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States, a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and final favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

We must remember, at the time Washington enacted this proclamation, we were a nation just coming out of a great war for our independence. A war that was not actually in our favor to win. Most early Americans (and now some historians) believed that this was a war America won solely by divine intervention. So, on Thanksgiving day, I would like to invite all of us to come together as a nation to reflect on the American values we cherish today.

For me, I will worship with my family and friends and reflect on the many amazing gifts God has bestowed upon us. Not only as a family, but as Americans. I hope we can all take a moment and give thanks to those who have served in our armed forces over the past 239 years for their heroic service. And I would invite you to join me in making contributions to our local food banks, homeless shelters, churches and other charitable organizations who assist those who are less fortunate.

And take a moment to thank those tireless workers who donate their time and resources for their fellow brothers and sisters. And, probably most importantly of all for me – giving thanks for my loving Mom and Dad for putting up with me all these years. Now I get what my Mom meant when she used to tell me “just you wait. What goes around, comes around.”  Happy Thanksgiving, Mom and Dad. I know they will be enjoying the ultimate Thanksgiving with The Lord.

And finally, I would encourage all of us to be proud to serve a God of our own personal understanding and belief. As for me, I am proud to be a Christian man. And I’m proud of my Christian family and the values we share. I am grateful for my many friends. I am grateful to be employed with a wonderful company with wonderful people. And I am grateful to serve as your publisher at The Globe and The Times. I am grateful to be an American. And I am proud to have honorably served my country during the Vietnam era. And I will remain committed with my veteran brothers and sisters, past and current, in support of our great nation. The oath of  office I took  upon my entrance into the U.S. Armed Forces is a lifetime oath that states:

“I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the  Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

I would like to express a sincere thank you to all our readers in Marysville, Arlington, Smokey Point, Lakewood and Tulalip. I am so grateful to serve these great communities. Happy Thanksgiving to each of you and your family. All the best, may God bless.

 

 

Paul Brown is the publisher of The Arlington Times-The Marysville Globe.