I am feeling very grateful for Abraham Lincoln's 1863 proclamation making it a national holiday set aside for giving thanks for all of God's blessings.  It is such an enduring gift to us.  It's especially significant that he issued this proclamation in the midst of the Civil War.  He had the sense that setting a day apart for giving thanks was especially important during such a protracted time of intense suffering and divisiveness. …. It's important for us to remember the origins of the national holiday this Thanksgiving, especially given the fractiousness of our times. …. Gratitude is a wonderful way to counter divisiveness. When we live from a grateful center, we have the strength to face the challenges of life without losing hope.  When we really focus on gratitude, the light of Christ encircles those challenges and helps us to see that God is with us through every joy and every challenge.