THANKSGIVING - NOVEMBER 25, 2004:
Throughout our lives we have come to know many
reminders for giving thanks to God. In the Book of
Psalms ther are many references to "Give thanks unto
the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever"; ancient
hymns remind us, "Now thank we all our God, With
heart, and hands, and voices, Who wondrous things
hath done, In whom His world rejoices; Who from our
mother's arms Hath blessed us on our way With
countless gifts of love, And still is ours today."
I guess together we could recount many more
remembrances to offer thanks to the ONE
TRUE CREATOR GOD ETERNAL. In this day and
age when our daily lives are hounded bt threats of wars
and terrorism, maybe we should take some time to read
again those marvelous words written by President
Abraham Lincoln in his national Thanksgiving message
on October 3, 1863, during another time of trial in our
beloved country. As you read, perhaps you will see
where these words written during our Civil War also
pertain to America in 2004.
President Lincoln declared that we Americans have
been "the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven.
But we have forgotten GOD. We have forgotten the
gracious hand which preserved us in peace and
multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we
have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our
hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some
superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with
unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient
to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving
grace, too proud to pray to the GOD that made us."
Lincoln concluded with these words: "It has seemed to
me fit and proper that GOD should be solemnly,
reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one
heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I
do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of
the United States, and also who are at sea and those
who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and
observe the last Thursday of November as a Day of
Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who
dwelleth in the heavens."
Good Ole Abe hit the nail on the head. I pray all of
ASAKOREA membership will enjoy a blessed,
thanks-giving THANKSGIVING DAY with the love of
family, friends and country. And may we sing with the
ancient hymn, "O may this bountiest GOD through all
our life be near us! With ever-joyful hearts and blessed
peace to cheer us. And keep us in His grace, and guide
us when perplexed, and free us from all ills In this
world and the next. Amen"
God be with you my dear friends. Keep the faith and
praise God, now and forever.
Rev. Charles "Preacher" Knappenberger,
Chaplain, ASA KOREA
Throughout our lives we have come to know many
reminders for giving thanks to God. In the Book of
Psalms ther are many references to "Give thanks unto
the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever"; ancient
hymns remind us, "Now thank we all our God, With
heart, and hands, and voices, Who wondrous things
hath done, In whom His world rejoices; Who from our
mother's arms Hath blessed us on our way With
countless gifts of love, And still is ours today."
I guess together we could recount many more
remembrances to offer thanks to the ONE
TRUE CREATOR GOD ETERNAL. In this day and
age when our daily lives are hounded bt threats of wars
and terrorism, maybe we should take some time to read
again those marvelous words written by President
Abraham Lincoln in his national Thanksgiving message
on October 3, 1863, during another time of trial in our
beloved country. As you read, perhaps you will see
where these words written during our Civil War also
pertain to America in 2004.
President Lincoln declared that we Americans have
been "the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven.
But we have forgotten GOD. We have forgotten the
gracious hand which preserved us in peace and
multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we
have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our
hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some
superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with
unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient
to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving
grace, too proud to pray to the GOD that made us."
Lincoln concluded with these words: "It has seemed to
me fit and proper that GOD should be solemnly,
reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one
heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I
do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of
the United States, and also who are at sea and those
who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and
observe the last Thursday of November as a Day of
Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who
dwelleth in the heavens."
Good Ole Abe hit the nail on the head. I pray all of
ASAKOREA membership will enjoy a blessed,
thanks-giving THANKSGIVING DAY with the love of
family, friends and country. And may we sing with the
ancient hymn, "O may this bountiest GOD through all
our life be near us! With ever-joyful hearts and blessed
peace to cheer us. And keep us in His grace, and guide
us when perplexed, and free us from all ills In this
world and the next. Amen"
God be with you my dear friends. Keep the faith and
praise God, now and forever.
Rev. Charles "Preacher" Knappenberger,
Chaplain, ASA KOREA
