Thanksgiving

[whistler_wren]

It's that time of year again. My mom had a neat suggestion for our sharing of our thanks this year. Her bible study did it one way, our less organized family another. They did it where they each drew two letters out of a hat and named something for which they were grateful this year that started with each letter. Because we had no letters pre-prepared, we just each chose two letters of our initials to use. It was a interesting way to do things that fostered variety and deeper thinking.

Of course, those of us with nicknames had an advantage.

For all other thanks, I turn, as always, to music. An oldie but so so true, every verse true to a memory this year, in the slightly abnormal variation that is how I first learned it.

For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the sky,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, Sister, Parent, Child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For each perfect gift of thine
To the world so freely giv'n:
Faith and hope and love divine,
Peace on earth and joy in heav'n,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

Thanks, blessings, and let's BTHO t.u.!