THANKSGIVING

"Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year;

to the honest man it comes frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow."

  Edward Martin

When I think of Thanksgiving Day, the old hymn 'For The Beauty Of The Earth' by Francis Pierpoint, written in the 1800's, runs through my head and heart as an offering of praise to God. I know it is my song for any day of the calendar.

FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH 

For the beauty of the earth, 

For the beauty of the skies, For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies, Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and dale, and tree and flower, 

Sun and moon and stars of light,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love,

brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

Pleasures pure and undefiled,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine,

To our race so freely given, graces human and divine,

 Flowers of earth and buds of heaven, 

Lord of all, to thee we raise,

This our grateful hymn of praise.

For thy Church which evermore

Lifteth holy hands above,

Offering up on every shore, Her pure sacrifice of love,

Lord of all, to thee we raise

This our grateful hymn of praise.

I want to say thank you to God for all that I am in Him and all the blessings of life that He lavishes on me. 

I like what Melody Beattie says about gratitude.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance,

chaos to order,

confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast,

a house into a home,

a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past,

brings peace for today,

and creates a vision for tomorrow."