As children, our parents taught us to always say, "Thank you." In Church, we learned that, always and everywhere, it is proper to say, "Thank You, God." During this Thanksgiving Season, hear the words of the hymn-writers and the poets:
"Now thank we all our God with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things hath done, In whom this world rejoices;
Who, from our mother's arms hath blessed us on our way,
With countless gifts of love, And still is ours today!" (Martin Rinkart)
"And they thought not only of the harvest when they thanked God for His gifts." (Ode to Founding of New Haven, Conn.).
"For the gladness here where the sun is shining at evening on the woods of the river. Our prayer of thanks!" (Carl Sandburg)
"There is one day that is ours ... Thanksgiving Day ... is the one day that is purely American." (O. Henry)
"Praise to God, your praises bring;
Hearts bow down and voices sing praises to the Glorious One,
All His year of wonder done." (William Gannet)
"Thank God for tea! What would this world be without tea!" (Sydney Smith)
"Thank God for sleep! And, when you cannot sleep, still thank Him that you live to lie awake." (John Oxenham)
"Sleep; and if life was better to thee, pardon; If sweet, give thanks...
To give thanks is good, and to forgive better." (A. Swinburne)
"For all the blessings of the year; For all the friends we hold so dear;
For peace on earth, both far and near, we thank Thee, Lord!
For life and health, those common things; Which every day and hour brings; For home, where our affection clings, we thank Thee, Lord!
For love of Thine which never tires, Which all our better thought inspires; And warms our hearts with heavenly fires. We thank Thee, Lord! (Albert Hutchinson)
"I thank the goodness and the grace which on my birth have smiled; And made me, in these Christian days, a happy Christian child." (Jane Taylor)
"An easy thing, O Power divine, to thank Thee for these gifts of Thine;
For summer's sunshine, winter's snow, for hearts that kindle thoughts that glow;
But when shall I attain to this -- To thank Thee for the things I miss!" (Bartholomew Dowling)
"We plow the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land;
But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand!
He sends the snow in winter; the warmth to swell the grain;
The breezes and the sunshine and soft refreshing rain!
All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above --
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord for all His love!" (Matthias Claudius)
Every day should be a "Day of Thanks-Giving"! Say "Thanks" to your family members, to those closest to you, to those you love. Let them know how much you appreciate them! Say "Thanks" to those you meet who add, through their services, so much to our daily lives! Make their day. Say "THANKS" to God for all those blessings we take for granted! And God will be pleased and smile. Everywhere and always, be thankful!
Don Kuehle is a retired United Methodist minister who lives in Jackson. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
Religion on 11/28/2019