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There’s one day each year, in the midst of our living,
that we set to the side, as a day of Thanksgiving.
To most it means turkey, corn puddin’ and dressing.
The day passes by without thanks for one blessing.
A time filled with gath’ring the fam’ly for feast.
A time when the week end is two days increased.
To some it means football or hunting their buck.
For turkeys, there’s many who’ll cluck their last cluck.
(I was gonna blame Don if that joke failed miserably!)
One thing’s for sure, it has lost too much meaning.
With everyone shopping and cooking and cleaning.
With all of the fam’ly and all of the mess.
Thanksgiving’s becoming a day filled with stress.
Like Christmas and Easter we’ve missed the big picture.
Too often God isn’t a part of the mixture.
I thought of Thanksgiving. Its meaning to me.
Here’s how I wish that Thanksgiving could be.
From the time we get up til we lay down to sleep.
We ought to be glad to be one of God’s sheep.
Thanksgiving should model the rest of the days.
Counting God’s blessings and giving him praise.
In counting our blessings our outlook seems brighter.
Our hardships seem meager, our burdens seem lighter.
We focus on all, in our lives, we have going.
As long as we’re thankful, we always are growing.
So much to be thankful for! Where to begin?
How ‘bout for forgiveness from all of our sin.
For food on our tables, and shelter that’s warm.
For peace and for calm in a world full of storm.
For love and for grace that endures to the end.
For this wonderful church we are blessed to attend.
For pastors committed to hearding lost sheep.
For Christ and his promise he vowed he would keep.
As we go to his table to break of his bread.
I ask “close your eyes, please, and bow down your head.”
Imagine that table as if you were there.
As we go to our Lord in a moment of prayer.
Thank you dear God for the son you had sent here.
For saving the world the short time that he spent here.
For cleansing our sins and for making us new.
For bridging the gap that had kept us from you.
For loving us spite how we tend to neglect you.
For sending us Jesus, a friend to connect to.
For giving new life to a world that was lost.
Please help us, Lord, never forget what it cost.
The price was a high one, that Jesus had paid.
He longs for our thanks. It is time we obeyed!
I’ve thanks of my own then I’ll open the floor.
Let’s tell God we’re thankful and tell him what for.
Thanks, God, for the life I was born to enjoy.
Thanks for my daughter and thanks for my boy.
Thanks for this church and the welcome we feel here.
For all the kind people and all the appeal here.
Thanks for the pastors who weekly refuel me.
Thanks for small groups and the people who school me.
Thanks for a church where my kids fit right in here.
Thanks for the friends I have made since I’ve been here.
For a job that supports me and keeps the bills paid.
For pleasures abundant and progress I’ve made.
For all of the luxuries which you have blessed me.
For keeping me strong in the ways that you test me.
Thanks for the people assembled tonight.
May all of your blessings shine down on them bright.
The floor is now open. Feel free to give praise,
for how God has blessed you in one or more ways.
PAUSE
Thanks for these emblems, we’re now to partake in.
Thanks for this wine and this bread we are breakin’.
Thanks for the wonderful things you have done.
For sending us Jesus! Our savior! Your son!