There is nothing more important in my own life than "giving thanks" to God for the blessings that "hallow my days" - for all I have, for some things I don't have, for those I love and those who love me, for my churches through the years, for my marriage, for my daughter, for my best friend, for my love of nature . . . for everything. I'm a huge believer in "Thanksliving" as a means of giving thanks!
Every year for the last few years, I have started the month of November with a VOW to myself to express one thing each day for which I am particularly thankful at THAT moment in time and every year it has been my pathetic custom to over-commit myself to "projects", to give in to the nudge of "volunteer-itis", to fail to recognize my limitations, old and new, and just generally to fail to do that which I ought to do and to do that which I ought NOT to do. Most especially, I am irked with myself for failing to honor my OWN pronouncement that said, "THIS year, I WILL express the gratitude I feel for family, friends, home, nature, etc."
I may not succeed in keeping that commitment to myself THIS year either , but part of understanding my shortcomings and doing "something" about things I "can" change even in the midst of so many things I can't change, I'm posting the words to one of my favorite Thanksgiving hymns, written in the late 1800s by August Storm . . . "Thanks to God for My Redeemer ". It says what I believe and feel and it says what *I* hope I will say in the coming days. It affirms just what I feel when I think of "thankful" - - - includes the good, the bad, the ugly and the in-between times of my life.
1. Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a mem’ry,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!
2. Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!
3. Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!
I may not succeed in keeping that commitment to myself THIS year either , but part of understanding my shortcomings and doing "something" about things I "can" change even in the midst of so many things I can't change, I'm posting the words to one of my favorite Thanksgiving hymns, written in the late 1800s by August Storm . . . "Thanks to God for My Redeemer ". It says what I believe and feel and it says what *I* hope I will say in the coming days. It affirms just what I feel when I think of "thankful" - - - includes the good, the bad, the ugly and the in-between times of my life.
1. Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a mem’ry,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!
2. Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!
3. Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!
I wish for any of YOU who might come across this and read it a month of giving thanks and a wonderful sense of contentment in whatever state your find yourself in . . . in short - a time of "thanksliving".
Ah -- so good to see you posting :)
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to keep my Thanksgiving posts -- my "gratitudes" on Live Journal, as many of them have ended up to be too personal to go public. But -- ya know -- maybe it would be a good thing to post some on my Wordpress blog -- and find my more public voice where I'm able to do that.
Bottom line -- no one can be too thankful.
I know that it's way too easy to get into whining, complaining mode. It's easier to see the stuff that's gone wrong, and to ignore the blessings. Sometimes it takes adversity to bring those blessings into focus. It allows you to see what you have been ignoring all along. You are grateful for it once it's lost -- or one has to work harder to achieve it. The trick, however, is to train oneself to see it without being hit over the head with that kind of 2 x 4!
Good luck with your daily "Thanksliving" list -- and I'll be reading. :)
"Thanksliving" - - I like that! :)
Hi Claire,
ReplyDeleteI'll be following, so keep posting!
Many thanks to both of you, Wendy and Connie!
ReplyDeleteIt's good for me to write when I can because it helps to sort out thoughts and feelings and wants and wishes, and I am determined to remember to give thanks - in all circumstances of my life.
It's nice to know I'm not "speaking in a vacuum". I wish I was better with the technology!!!
Hope you're having a great day today - thanks again :)