A (Long) Thanksgiving Song

Today in Canada, we celebrate Thanksgiving DayHappy Thanksgiving, today and every day! For doors that swing wide open, with a beaming 'welcome in'... Ps.92:1It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; Give thanks in every circumstance, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and lovely to praise Him! For friends and family, for fellowship’s fond happiness...(dinner yesterday) For apple-lunch... and carrot crunch, For soulful meditations as we witness God, so greatIn colour combinations only He can orchestrate... For front rows seats to Divine Majesty’s Un-commonplaceAs mercy, new each morning, ushers from unrivaled ranksMuch unmerited favour, often assumed without thanks Part 1. 1. For creeks meandering through pasturelands, rolling and greenFor rivers, rushing-rambling, rippling down rocks and betweenFor lakes that lie like mammoth mirrors, reflecting the skyFor cakes and fresh-baked pies piled high with whipping cream, oh my 2. For thund’ring hues that waltz through autumn woodlands without soundFor harvest hymns, raised heartily from reaping’s holy groundFor friends and family, for fellowship’s fond happinessFor faith’s fine privilege of prayer, braced by God’s promises 3. For apple-lunch and carrot crunch, and colourful cuisineOf fruit and veg simplicity yet fit for king and queenFor good-book getaways, for phrases like ‘just between us’For wordsmiths forging sheer delight from ink and genius 4. For hands to fold in prayer or to hold humble tools of tradeFor arms to wrap with tender care around a sad comradeFor beautiful feet, gospel-shod, so everywhere they goThey bring good news of one, true God who loves everyone so 5. For steaming cuppa, when we wake or at coffee break timeFor surprises of beauty, begging for a twist of rhymeFor soulful meditations as we witness God, so greatIn colour combinations only He can orchestrate 6. For laughter, glorious laughter, after sorrow’s vale of deathFor oohs and aahs where Nature steals the show and then our breathFor home, sweet home, a haven in a world, too hurried, oftFor Innocence, to challenge and keep hearts gentle and soft 7. For all the lovely people who care enough to be kindWho view life’s opportunities with others first in mindWho value precious moments, no spent moment compensatesWho recognize the School of Life, and love fellow-classmates 8. For autumn’s ambience that sets both earth and souls aglowWhere what was good in good old days will always remain soThe thrill of a still morning or sunset bathed eventideA table set for dinner and a loved one at our side 9. For wind-ghosts, hustling-rustling through a cornfield, brittle-bronzeFor work to do, for fallen leaves cartwheeling across lawnsFor the best yet to come, for Heaven; hope and faith’s rewardFor this and so much more, we raise a hymn of praise, O Lord 10. For comfort for our sorrows from the One who understandsWhose love is etched in utter proof in nail-scarred feet and handsFor He who bids us ‘come’ for rest this world knows nothing ofWho keeps in perfect peace all who are anchored in His love Part 2. 11. For flow’ry fence-line filigree; milkweed and Queen Ann’s laceFor front rows seats to Divine Majesty’s Un-commonplaceAs mercy, new each morning, ushers from unrivaled ranksMuch unmerited favour, often assumed without thanks 12. For so much wonder to behold in every season-framePraise God from whom all blessings flow; from Whom all creatures cameTo Him be glory evermore, who vexes mortal kenFor from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. Amen. 13. For He transcends Time’s transient speck we beck to comprehendHis promises no one can check, or nullify or bendA kind, unfailing Helper through the troubles that befallFor this and so much more we thank You, gracious Lord of all 14. For Today’s smorgasbord, laden with goodness to enjoyA stroll in the fine company of little girl and boyThrough an October afternoon unraveled leaf by leafOverflowing heart-cups with happiness, in spite of grief 15. For loss that tunes us to the gains we would otherwise missFor eyes to see and ears to hear, for lips to smile and kissFor poets, born to bravely bare their souls upon a pageTo preserve cherished sentiment from fleeting age to age 16. For fields and gardens gleaned; for health and strength for toil’s demandsFor confidence in He who clothes the lily-gilded landsFor gasp-glimpses of paradise in this old, broken worldFor cognizance, to feast our eyes on Evidence unfurled 17. For holidays as handy as a chair beneath a treeTo revel in and reflect on blissful simplicityFor finding so much to be thankful for in every dayAs we weather the brunt of hope-dream-laugh-weep-work and pray 18. For cares to keen awareness to our deep need for each otherFor we, part of God’s family, are all sister and brotherFor this new day to seek a meeker, awestruck attitudeWe thank-you Lord, and raise a hymn of glad, glad gratitude 19. For doors that swing wide open, with a beaming 'welcome in'For scolding, silenced by the mister with mischievous grinFor Firsts we chart with fervor and for Lasts we cannot knowFor cheer to journey onward for tis by God’s grace we go Part 3. 20. For mom and dad, dear mom and dad who gave their prime of lifeTo feed and clothe and train us to trust God where fear runs rifeWho did not scrimp and save to lay up much pleasure-in-storeBut taught us by example what to treasure/measure and Who for 21. For God’s Word, as a lamp to expose dangerous sink-holesWhere we are all born mortal and all die as deathless soulsThe dash between our dates of birth and death, life’s sacred spanWhere we will either receive or reject salvation’s plan 22. For God’s word as faith’s counsellor and truest friend indeedFor the wisdom that He imparts if we follow His leadFor boundless riches that only poorness of spirit bringsAs He opens the eyes of hearts to behold wondrous things 23. For endless entertainment, courtesy of bird and beeAnd butterfly, tot, pup and kitten, cute as cute can be For Time's four-season carousel twirling around and 'roundStunning us with hellos and farewells, as echoes confound For babies to bounce on our knees before they walk, then runThen fly away while mothers say ‘Where have those long days gone?’…of teddy bears and goodnight prayers, lost mittens, shoes and socksAnd simple joys of scattered toys; dollies and building blocks 24. For kitchen sinks filled with parades of dishes washed and dried(The age-old effect of hearty appetites satisfied)For detours, because kindness hailed a second mile or twoFor children who never outgrow their mother’s ‘I love you’ 25. For music of the rain or strains of cherished melodies‘Sweet Hour of Prayer, Just as I Am, and Precious Memories'For harvesters a-humming, beneath autumn’s evening starFor so much to be thankful for however old we are 26. For those who take the time to ask if we are doing wellFor those who remember to pray for all we do/cannot tellFor those who try to keep the peace and so they bite their tongueFor those whose friendly spirits seem to stay forever young 27. For those who love and do not count the amount of the price Knowing the currency of ministry is sacrificeWho imitate the One who gave Himself entirelyTo leave us an ensample of how true love ought to be 28. For always a tomorrow (if God wills) to try againTo rally round each other rather than blame and condemnFor we are all First-timers, no one gets a trial runAt life to test its fights to see how this or that is won 29. …for poems that barely begin to skim the surface of Reason to praise and thank you, Lord, for Your eternal loveFor the confident knowledge that each day You lend fresh chanceTo thank you for the many mercies that your goodness grants 30. For so much we do not deserve but still, You give and givePraise God from whom all blessings flow; through whom all creatures liveTo Thee be glory evermore, who vexes mortal kenFor from Thee and through Thee and to Thee are all things. Amen. Janet Martin For Innocence, to challenge and keep hearts gentle and soft... A stroll in the fine company of little girl and boyThrough an October afternoon unraveled leaf by leafOverflowing heart-cups with happiness, in spite of grief... For holidays as handy as a chair beneath a tree...