Give Thanks!

I love the blessed Thanksgiving season!  I am thankful for many material blessings; but this morning I just want to sing -- "Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul.  Thank you, Lord, for making me whole.  Thank you, Lord, for giving to me Thy great salvation so full and free."

As we anticipate the Thanksgiving holiday next week, may we keep our hearts full of praise and thanksgiving as we go about our daily tasks, and remember to --"In everything, give thanks"!
The last five Psalms -- 146-150 -- each begin and end with "Praise ye the Lord"!  So let's keep our hearts filled with praise and thanksgiving as we count our many blessings and name them one by one!

There are several Thanksgiving songs in our hymnal, but one that we don't often sing is entitled, "For the Beauty of the Earth", written in 1864 by Folliott Pierpoint.  I trust the words will be a blessing to you as we meditate on them through the week.

     "For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies --
For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies.
      For the wonder of each hour, of the day and of the night --
Hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon, and stars of light.

      For the joy of human love -- brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on earth, and friends above -- for all gentle thoughts and mild.
      For Thy Church that evermore lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore, her pure sacrifice of love.

      For Thyself -- best gift divine, to the world so freely given;
For that great, great love of Thine -- peace on earth and joy in heaven.
      Lord of all, to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise."
Amen!