With Thanksgiving Day right around the corner, we decided to exit our traditional studies in Ancient Greece and do some Pilgrim studies. I bought a wonderful lap book from CurrClick titled A Season for Giving Thanks by Pleasant Ridge Publishing. It has a book list and many wonderful cutting activites surrounding the Thanksgiving Holiday. Oldest Son is reading Pocahontas and Captain John Smith, The Story of the Virginia Colony (A Landmark Book). Even though the events are a bit earlier and south, he is still enjoying it tremendously. Daughter is reading Whos that standing on Plymouth Rock by Jean Fritz and Squanto, Friend of the Pilgrims by Clyde Bulla. Youngest son is reading The Thanksgiving Story by Alice Dalgliesh.
With all of this talk about Pilgrims and their families, the hardships they encountered and even death, I began to ponder. One DVD that we watched called The Mayflower Pilgrims said that the definition of a pilgrim is a person or group that go on a long journey for religious reasons. I have thought about that much since hearing that definition. At breakfast this morning I asked the children if we were pilgrims. Amazingly, they remembered that definition from the DVD and oldest son said, Yes, we are. After a little more discussion on the matter, we sang the following hymn together.
Here We Are But Straying Pilgrims
Here we are but straying pilgrims
Here our path is often dim
But to cheer us on our jouney
Still we sing this wayside hymn
Chorus: Yonder over the rolling river
Where the shining mansions rise
Soon will be our home forever
And the smile of the blessed giver
Gladens all our longing eyes.
Here our feet are often weary
On the hills that throng our way
Here the tempest darkly gathers
But our hearts within us say
Chorus
Here our souls are often fearful
Of the pilgrim's lurking foe
But the Lord is our defender
And He tells us we may know
Chorus
I hope this post blesses your day.
May you and your family have a Blessed Thanksgiving, Suzie
