by Stephanie Durden Edwards

Created on: November 10, 2009

Giving thanks as a nation becomes a national pastime every November. As hundreds of thousands of American families sit down together amid tables laden with platters of turkey and stuffing and Aunt Becky's traditional cranberry sauce this November 26th, those far away from home will be ever present in the hearts and minds of the families they have left behind. Thousands of America's best will observe their own Thanksgiving day with other men and women proudly wearing the uniforms of the United States Armed Forces. They will feast upon MRE rations on foreign soil, so that we can gather freely and safely in kitchens and dining rooms across this great nation.

Professor and theologian Johannes A. Gaertner spoke of gratitude when he said the following: To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch heaven. This Thanksgiving Day, let us reach a little higher while we celebrate the good in our own lives, and give a little back to those who have sworn to lay down their lives to protect it.

The following organizations have wonderful programs to help US military soldiers. Additionally, there are countless more local agencies who do all they can to assist the families of military men and women.

The USO (United Service Organization) provides many programs to military men and women all over the world. Their services range from free Internet and email service to housing and family crisis centers. The offer rest and reprieve to traveling military personnel as well as their better known morale boosting volunteer celebrity tours. They even assist through mobile outreach centers to troops all over the world, sometimes in dangerous or unstable places. You can help by logging onto their website and donating whatever you can. In the wake of the Fort Hood Texas tragedy, there is a greater need than ever to get involved. http://www.uso.org/

Several years ago, two teenagers started a program to help US soldiers call home. Brother and sister team Robbie and Brittany Bergquist began Cell Phones for Soldiers back in 2004 and have helped thousands of soldiers call home since. The organization collects and redistributes used cell phones, as well as collecting monetary donations to help provide the soldiers with prepaid calling cards. You can help them by checking out their website at http://cellphonesforsoldiers.com/index.html for more information.

If you want to help soldiers directly, Operation Gratitude (http://www.opgratitude.com/) just may be the way to go. The group organizes collection drives and raises money to send troops care packages with food and personal care items, as well as messages of support and gratitude from everyday citizens. Every year, numerous packages are sent to the far reaches of the world by this organization; just a little reminder to the soldier from the people back home that someone remembers who they are and why they do what they do everyday.

Holidays are a great time to observe old traditions, and to begin new ones. Showing gratitude in tangible efforts to the nation's military soldiers is a wonderful way to give thanks for service and sacrifice of the sons and daughters, husbands, wives and parents who serve proudly in the ranks of the armed forces.

Sources: http://www.wisdomquotes.com/cat_gratitude.html

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