I am a mother who knows the story of the Pilgrims.

In honor of Thanksgiving, our family watched Monumental this evening.  It tells the story of the Pilgrims journey from Scrooby, England, where they risked their lives and worshiped in secret, to Holland, and eventually Plymouth. 

In England it was treason to believe or worship in any way other than how the king dictated.  The Pilgrims wanted to worship according to the dictates of their own conscience. They were betrayed, imprisoned, families torn apart, and suffered much more.  When they finally made it to Plymouth, the first winter 47 of their 102 persons died. Many of the women died from cold, as they slept over their children to keep them alive.  Most of the children survived.  In early spring, the Captain, who had brought them, was returning to England, and plead with them to come also.  Their hope of survival looked so bleak.  But not one of them went back.  Why?

Because they knew they needed liberty to worship God.  They understood that their children and children's children could not grow in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, thereby finding happiness in this life and the life hereafter without a political climate that allowed them to worship.

In our day, freedom to worship is again being taken away, slowly and more subtly than it was in England in 1600.  The Judeo-Christian heritage of America's founding is being replaced with a religion of godlessness, immorality, and every man to himself.  Peace and prosperity cannot persist long on these grounds.  The civilization will inevitably implode on itself.  

It was sweet to hear my children's comments and see their emotion as we discussed the sacrifice that was made in our behalf.  I am thankful for the Pilgrims.  I know they were brought here by God.  The legacy of liberty - especially religious liberty - that they sacrificed, even their lives for, must be defended boldly.  I choose to defend and teach morality, virtue, and Christian values, in hopes that my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren, may worship according to the dictates of their own conscience, and enjoy the blessings of liberty.

If you want to read a fabulous book that tells the real story of Thanksgiving try Stories of the Pilgrims, by Margaret Pumphrey.  It is an excellent whole family read-aloud. Be prepared to laugh and cry and meet real people.