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Sunday, November 18, 2012

GIVING THANKS by Janet Grunst


GIVING THANKS
By 
Janet Grunst

In her post on November 16, 2011, “Thanksgiving in Early America”, Elaine Marie Cooper shared the familiar origin of the Pilgrims Thanksgiving in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts. She also beautifully expressed why our nation celebrates Thanksgiving; as a day we set aside to give thanks to God for His provision.

My post on July 20, 2012, told a different story; the 1619 Thanksgiving service that took place 590 miles south of Plymouth at Berkeley Plantation on the James River in Virginia.

Others suggest that the Spanish celebrated a Thanksgiving in Florida even earlier.

The origin of Thanksgiving is not as important as the reason we continue to set aside a time to focus on our Creator God and all He has done for us throughout the ages. Like those who came before us, we give thanks to God for His provision, His protection, His presence, His mercy, and most of all, the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.

Most of us have family or favorite Thanksgiving traditions that range from attending religious services, getting together with loved ones, enjoying incredible meals, playing or watching sporting events, more eating, and possibly even napping.

My Thanksgiving never seems complete without singing or reading a hymn by Henry Alford and George J. Elvey that reminds me of all I have to be thankful for and all I have to look forward to. The hymn is based on:


“It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord,
and to sing praised unto Thy name, O most high.”
Psalm 92:1

COME, YE THANKFUL PEOPLE


Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.
God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God's own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

2.         All the world is God's own field,
fruit as praise to God we yield;
wheat and tares together sown
are to joy or sorrow grown;
first the blade and then the ear,
then the full corn shall appear;
Lord of harvest, grant that we
wholesome grain and pure may be.

3.         For the Lord our God shall come,
and shall take the harvest home;
from the field shall in that day
all offenses purge away,
giving angels charge at last
in the fire the tares to cast;
but the fruitful ears to store
in the garner evermore.

4.         Even so, Lord, quickly come,
bring thy final harvest home;
gather thou thy people in,
free from sorrow, free from sin,
there, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
come, with all thine angels, come,
raise the glorious harvest home.

8 comments:

  1. Janet, we have so much to be thankful for. I am grateful that we have this time before Christmas to step back and acknowledge God's goodness to us. Thank you so much for sharing.

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  2. Thank you, Lynn. No matter what our circumstances, a thankful heart changes our attitude as we travel through them.

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  3. Beautiful post, Janet, and a lovely hymn. We have so many neat traditions in this country that honor God and that encourages me even when I look at the problems we have. Thankful to be an American!

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  4. I agree, Carrie; so much to be thankful for and to keep in prayer. Thanks for coming by.

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  5. Janet, I loved reading through the words of this hymn. A truly precious reminder of why we are thankful, not just for the crops in the fields but for His harvest that will be gathered to heaven. Lovely! Thank you for sharing and may your Thanksgiving by blessed.

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  6. This is one of my favorite hymns. An attitude of gratitude makes all the difference in our lives. And when we know him who is the source of all our blessings we are doubly blessed.

    Thank you for blessing us with this post. May your Thanksgiving be truly blessed.

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  7. Janet, Thank you for a fabulous post! Thanksgiving is a blessing--a great reminder to ALWAYS give thanks to God for all the gifts He gives to us everyday. And I LOVE that hymn. It's one of my favorites.
    Great post!

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  8. Thanks for stopping by Elaine, Judith and Amber. I think Hymns touch our hearts in a way that's meaningful and memorable over all the years.

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