A Little History About the Pilgrims and Celebrating the First Thanksgiving on Cape Cod

Dangerous Sanctuary by J.Q. Rose

Cozy mystery

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Hello and welcome to the Books We Love Insiders Blog.

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 28 in the USA. The First Thanksgiving was in 1621 when the Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag people to a feast to celebrate the harvest with them. The Pilgrims and their guests came together to enjoy the bounty of their hard work, but most important of all they wanted to express their gratitude and to thank God for the good things in their lives.

The Pilgrims said Thank You!

The idea of a day of Thanksgiving boggles the mind when we realize the trauma and turmoil the Pilgrims went through that first year struggling to develop a colony in the New World. Remember these Pilgrims attempted to make the voyage across the ocean three times in the Mayflower and the Speedwell sailing vessels. 

Making the final decision the Speedwell was unfit for the ocean voyage, they turned back after 300 miles on the ocean and a wasted month and a half on that trip. They unloaded the cargo from the Speedwell and loaded it onto the crowded Mayflower. Many of the passengers left the adventure too tired or sick to start out again.

The Mast of a Sailing Ship

Photo courtesy of Pixabay

On September 6, 1620, 102 souls set sail from England. They endured hunger, sickness, death, and frightening storms on an open sea. They couldn't land where they had planned because of strong storms battering them. Rather than sail down the Hudson River to build their homes, they sighted the shores of Cape Cod on November 9. After exploring the area,  they decided to make Plymouth their home. Imagine trying to build a colony in that cold weather. Only half of the Pilgrims survived the winter. 

Wonders of wonders, after all this suffering and loss, they gave us the greatest gift, Thanksgiving! The Pilgrims gave thanks for their blessings on that autumn day in 1621. Their First Thanksgiving is the lesson for understanding that even with so many problems and sadness, it is still possible to say "thank you" no matter the circumstances.

In these difficult times throughout the world, we often dwell on all the bad things that are happening. Problems swirl around us every day making it difficult to take time to reflect and find something good to be thankful for. But sometimes the smallest things are actually the biggest things.


How about

• a child's smile
• a hearty laugh at a friend's silly joke
•  a sunny day
• a warm cup of coffee or cocoa after coming in from the cold weather
• a hug?

* * *

To learn what was on the table for the First Thanksgiving, click here to read my blog post at the Books We Love Insiders Blog.

Autumn Greetings from J.Q. Rose
Click here to connect online with J.Q. at the Focused on Story Blog

Wishing YOU and yours a Happy Thanksgiving!

Tips for Finding Your Bliss in a Turbulent world by Sandy Semerad

            While mourning the senseless killings in Paris  and elsewhere at the hands of terrorists, I've been thinking about peace and these words, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” I heard that song again recently and would like to share some lessons I've learned about achieving blissful peace in my own life.

The most important lesson is, don’t judge others or yourself. There are a myriad of opinions, just as there are many different religions. I try to communicate affably and listen respectfully.

I've also found it’s essential to express gratitude and make a list of blessings and say, “Thank you.”

I enjoy expressing appreciation and looking for ways to compliment and encourage. Encouraging others make me feel good. Thinking positive and expressing gratitude attracts more blessings, I think. Gratitude is a powerful multiplier.

Whenever negative thoughts infect my brain, I recite positive affirmations to negate them. I once heard Oprah suggest this affirmation: “Every time I turn around there’s a check in the mail.”

Louise Hay has several good affirmations on her website. She suggests looking in the mirror and saying, “I love you. I really love you.”  Another one is: “Abundance flows freely through me.”

(I say all of the above and also these: “Millions of readers love my books," "Everyday I become more enlightened and find a way to help others," "I appreciate every moment," "I am confidant and make good choices," "I am loving and forgiving."

Social media is a powerful source and I appreciate the opportunity to interact with friends and promote my books on places like Facebook, but these sites can be addictive. So I try to limit my time there and write more. Television can be another time zapper, although my dog P-Nut likes to watch TV. Dog shows are her favorite. So I sometimes run the picture and turn down the volume.

I like to set aside a few minutes each day to meditate. If done correctly, meditating can bring tranquility. I wrote about meditation in last month’s blog post, how I attempt to erase the negative brain static through meditation and become more trusting, peaceful, loving, giving, kind, respectful of others and confident. I also meditate on my professional goals. Right now I’m working on a sequel to A MESSAGE IN THE ROSES. With my day job, it’s often challenging to find time to write, but I tell myself, as I complete each page, I’m getting closer and closer to the end.

One of the hardest lessons I've had to learn is to avoid negative, judgmental people. I prefer being around positive, happy folks. They’re uplifting.

Exercise can also be uplifting. I realize not everyone enjoys exercise, but I've learned I feel better when I make it a habit. Exercise releases endorphins, our body's natural pain relievers. The latest studies claim we need some form of exercise every day. Forty-five minutes is optimal. I have a Jane Fonda Prime Time, Fit and Strong DVD that’s about 25 minutes. Then I try to walk for twenty minutes, which isn't difficult because I walk P-Nut. She lives in the moment and never fails to lift my mood.

Speaking of mood-lifting events, I like to spend as much time as possible in activities I’m passionate about. I’m passionate about writing, reading, enjoying my loved ones, etc., and I've learned to say, “No” more often. This one word has given me additional time for the activities and people I love.  

I also enjoy day dreaming and visualizing success. Some experts on visualization recommend creating a dream board with pictures and goals. One of my visualizations is picturing my books on the best seller list and seeing them become movies.

But getting back to reality and the need to hunker down, I think it’s important to work hard and do my best. Some days are better than others, of course, but I've discovered if I do my best and don’t complain, I have fewer regrets about what I've accomplished. There’s a famous Zen saying: “Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood and carry water.” This rings true for me.

I hope you've found these ideas helpful. May they bring you more bliss in your life, and as we approach Thanksgiving, I want to thank you for allowing me to share my writing with you. Please know, I'm very grateful.

I wish you love and peace. Peace begins with us.

Please visit my website for more information: www.sandysemerad.com

Here's my latest book: A Message In the Roses

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You can also check out my other books on the Book We Love site:

 http://www.bookswelove.net/authors/semerad-sandy/