Pilgrim Stats with Tamera Lynn Kraft

It's nearly Thanksgiving Day in the US - though of course that doesn't mean we aren't thankful the other days.

Please welcome Tamera Lynn Kraft.

 

In 1620, the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock. The first thing they did was to fall on their knees and thank God for keeping them safe through the journey. But their troubles weren't over. That winter over half of the pilgrims died, most from starvation, cold, and disease.

Here are the statistics:

December - six people died.

January - eight people died.

February - 17 people died.

March - 13 people died.

Four entire families died, and there was only one family that didn't lose at least one member.

Of 18 married women, 13 died. Only three of 13 children perished. This seems to indicate that mothers were probably giving their share of food to the children.

The winter was, by local standards, a fairly mild one. The Plymouth settlers were simply not used to living on an awful diet and being exposed to the elements. Had it been a really severe winter, it's likely that all of them would have been wiped out.

When the "Mayflower" was prepared to return to England in April. 1621, its captain offered to take any survivors with him at no charge. None of the remaining pilgrims took him up on his offer.

After harvesting their crops in early Autumn, the who were still alive invited the Indians for a feast to celebrate the goodness of God.

That's how Thanksgiving got started. Sometimes I think that we Americans have become a spoiled people. We expect things to always go our way and when they don't, we don't remember to thank God for the many blessings He has given us. We forget to thank Him.

Here's some things I'm thankful for this year:

My wonderful husband of 35 years.

My two grown children who serve the Lord.

Two of the cutest grandchildren in the world.

A house to live in.

Food to eat - especially the Thanksgiving feast I'll stuff myself with.

Time saving gadgets. Remember the Pilgrims didn't even have matches to light their fires.

The publication of two of my books, Soldier'sHeart and A Christmas Promise.

Revival Fire 4 Kids, the ministry God has allowed me to lead.

My nation. United States of America is still the greatest nation on Earth.

Freedom to worship. Many Christians from other countries endanger their lives by following God.

My Salvation. No matter what else I lose, Jesus Christ died for my sins so I could have a relationship with Him. Nothing else compares to that.

So what are you thankful for?

A Christmas Promise

A Moravian Holiday Story, Circa 1773

During colonial times, John and Anna settle in an Ohio village to become Moravian missionaries to the Lenape. When John is called away to help at another settlement two days before Christmas, he promises he’ll be back by Christmas Day.

When he doesn’t show up, Anna works hard to not fear the worst while she provides her children with a traditional Moravian Christmas.

Through it all, she discovers a Christmas promise that will give her the peace she craves.

Available at these online stores:

AMAZON

PELICAN BOOK GROUP

CHRISTIANBOOK

About the Author:

TAMERA LYNN KRAFT has always loved adventures and writes Christian historical fiction set in America because there are so many adventures in American history. She is married to the love of her life, has two grown children, and lives in Akron, Ohio.

Tamera is the leader of a ministry called Revival Fire For Kids where she mentors other children’s leaders, teaches workshops, and is a children’s ministry consultant and children’s evangelist. She has curriculum published and is a recipient of the 2007 National Children’s Leaders Association Shepherd’s Cup for lifetime achievement in children’s ministry.

You can contact Tamera online at these sites:

WordSharpeners Blog

RevivalFire For Kids Blog

Adventuresin American History

Facebook

Twitter

And come visit me, Lisa Lickel, on Word Sharpeners today at this link.

I'll give away a copy of my new book, Brave New Century, during this special promotion.

 

Thanksgiving Day in Early America

Thanksgiving in Early America by Elaine Marie Cooper When we sit down at our Thanksgiving meal this month, we’ll be recreating a celebration that is as old as our country: sharing food with loved ones while thanking the God Who has provided the abundance. While we understand that the First Thanksgiving was celebrated here by the Mayflower survivors along with the Indians that had helped them, the first official proclamation that was decreed to celebrate such a holiday was in 1777. It was a recommendation to the thirteen states by the Continental Congress to set aside December 18th that year as a “solemn thanksgiving” to celebrate the first major victory for the Continental troops in the American Revolution: the Battle of Saratoga. The Battle of Saratoga has significant interest for my own family since one of my ancestors was a soldier there. But he was not on the American side—he was a British Redcoat. After surrendering to the Americans, he escaped the line of prisoners and somehow made his way to Massachusetts and into the life and heart of my fourth great-grandmother. *SIGH* L’amour! This family story was the inspiration for my Deer Run Saga that begins in 1777 with The Road to Deer Run. There is an elaborate Thanksgiving meal scene in this novel as well as in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Some may wonder why such detail was afforded this holiday in my novels set in Massachusetts, while Christmas is barely mentioned. The reason is simple: Thanksgiving was the major holiday in the northern colonies, with Christmas considered nothing more special than a workday. According to Jack Larkin in his book, The Reshaping of Everyday Life, “The Puritan founders of New England and the Quaker settlers of Pennsylvania had deliberately abolished (holidays) as unscriptural.” But Thanksgiving was begun as a way to give thanks to God for His provision. It usually began with attending church services in the morning, followed by an elaborate feast in the afternoon. The food for this meal was prepared for weeks in advance. Since the individual state governors chose their own date to celebrate the holiday, it was theoretically possible for some family members—if they lived in close proximity—to celebrate multiple Thanksgiving meals with family and friends across state borders. The dates chosen could be anywhere from October to December, according to Dennis Picard, Director of the Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, Massachusetts. Chicken was most commonly served, said Picard, as it was readily available in the barnyard. And the oldest woman in the home had the honor of slicing the fowl for dinner. Pies were made well in advance of the holiday and stored and became frozen in dresser drawers in unheated rooms. “I like the idea of pulling out a dresser drawer for, say, a clean pair of socks, and finding mince pies,” said Picard, tongue in cheek. Indeed! Have a BLESSED Thanksgiving! Author Bio

Elaine Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest called The Barn Door (www.thebarndoor.net) and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight (ReflectionsInHindsight.wordpress.com). She is the author of The Road to Deer Run and the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run. Prior to becoming an author, Elaine worked as a registered nurse.