The Legend Of The 5 Kernels Of Corn
Celebrate the true meaning of Thanksgiving by reading this beautiful history and legend of the first Thanksgiving Day and the 5 kernels of corn.
Thanksgiving is really my favorite holiday. It’s a time when our families gather around a great meal and take time out of our busy lives to be thankful!
I love the American roots of this special holiday. I love the God-centered reason we celebrate it.
And by its very name, Thanksgiving is the day our county sets aside to give both corporate and individual thanks to God for all His blessings.
Have you ever heard of the story THE 5 KERNELS OF CORN? This story is intertwined with our Thanksgiving and is a way we count our blessings.
The tradition in our home is to place 5 kernels of corn at everyone’s place at the table and recount the story that has been passed down for generations. These 5 little kernels have played a big part in our Thanksgiving story here at StoneGable!
THE STORY GOES
On Nov. 11, 1620, the Mayflower landed on the Northern tip of Cape Cod bringing a group of people searching for religious freedom. We call them the Pilgrims.
It was not easy to settle in a new place. It was very hard and the Pilgrims suffered greatly.
Winter set in and it was cold and food was in short supply.
It is said that during the cold and harsh winter of 1621, sometimes only 5 kernels of corn were rationed out to eat.
No matter how small something is if seen as a blessing, it’s huge!
We really can’t say for sure if this story is true or not, but what a reminder to count our blessings in all things great and small!
HOW WE USE THE 5 KERNELS OF CORN
We use the 5 kernels of corn as a reminder that even the smallest blessing is a very big thing.
Taking turns, we go around the table and tell everyone 5 things we are thankful for.
We usually have some very loud laughs and some sentimental tears as well. But most of all we have a whole lot of heads nodding in blessing agreement as the warm presence of God fills us and the room!
God desires us to be a thankful people!
Give thanks in all things for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
What God is saying to us in this verse is to acknowledge His grace given to us and look at every separate part of our circumstance and find His hand of goodness, kindness, fellowship, love, help, etc. in all.
It is important to let Him know that we see Him working in our life with grateful praise for those of us who are in a relationship with Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
All things come from God’s benevolent hand. Great and small. If we look for the blessing of God we can and will find them, even in the worst of circumstances! Yes, God is always with us and He blesses us. Sometimes we just need to look for the blessing!
So this Thanksgiving I hope you and those around your table will find a way to give thanks to our loving, grace-giving God.
Do you have a Thanksgiving family tradition that gives thanks to our Father? Please share!
Thank you so much. If we would all count our blessings every day, we would all be more joyful.
A truly wonderful holiday we once shared with our Christian church on an American Airbase . Whilst it is not our holiday our children learned a very valuable lesson in giving thanks for what we have . In Germany two of them rode their new bikes to a German lesson and were to bring home some chicken and peppers for our evening meal to be cooked . Along the way they stopped to look in a toy shop window and promptly their bikes were stolen . No bikes , no lesson and no chicken . We sat around the table that evening and individually gave thanks for the boiled rice and water that we did have and not for what we didn’t ! A great lesson and one that none of us have forgotten . Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family .
Our family usually goes around the table, giving thanks to our Lord and Savior, as well as sharing what makes us most thankful. Let us always be grateful for His blessings. Thanks for sharing.
Dear Yvonne: I love to read and re-read your inspirational messages throughout the year. You are dear to me. ‘You have a special place in my heart’ … Philippians 1:7
Sharon, what a blessing to hear! Thank you!
What a wonderful way to share with others, what you are thankful for. I feel at times people are quick to ask God for a blessing, but not as quick to say, thank you for the blessings or for at least be with us during this time.
This is a beautiful story. I absolutely love it and plan on sharing it with my family and any friends who might gather at our Thanksgiving table. I believe, it is important with all the problems in the country, our world, and possibly within our families, we remind ourselves there is still goodness and blessings within our lives.
I’m so glad you are sharing this, Patty! Happy Thanksgiving!
I’m now on a mission to find Indian corn! Love your idea!
I use kraft paper to cover the table where the grandkids sit. They draw their blessings all over it. I had to keep it last year it was so precious. Just may use it again and they can add to it.