Thanksgiving
by Edgar Guest
GETTIN' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.
Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an men. Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank. Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers. |
In searching for a Thanksgiving prayer, I came across this from last year. I don't think I could find anything more fitting to include in this years Thanksgiving presentation. Thank you, Michelle Malkin, for this.....
November 27, 2002
By Michelle Malkin
Dear Heavenly Father,
As we gather together to count our blessings, 381 years after the first Thanksgiving Day, we realize how little appreciation we have expressed for this thy bounty:
For sunbeams and sunsets and sun-kissed cheeks, for rainbows and raindrops and rain sticks, for mountain dew and prairie frost, for harvest moons and shooting stars, we give thee praise.
For Blueberry Hill and Blackberry Creek, for Apple Valley and Orange County, for Plum Borough and Peachtree City, for Pineapple Park and Coconut Grove, we give thee praise.
For coal miners and construction workers, for truckers and bakers, for mail sorters and short-order cooks, for ranch hands and stage hands, for accountants who keep honest books, for politicians who keep their promises, for stay-at-home moms and double-shift dads, we give thee praise.
O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, we thank you this day for "Proud to Be an American" and "These Colors Don't Run," for "Let Freedom Ring" and "Of Thee I Sing," for "Every Heart Beats True" and for "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue."
For Purple Hearts and Bronze Stars, for Green Berets and Gold Stripes, for the 10th Mountain Division and the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, for the KC-130 Crew and the 101st Airborne Division, for the soldiers and SEALS and special forces who made the ultimate sacrifice this year, and for all who continue to protect and to serve, we give thee praise.
For the Border Patrol and citizens on patrol, for the National Guard and Guardian Angels, for the USO and the VFW, we thank you, O God, our creator and redeemer.
For the Pentagon rebuilt and Ground Zero restored and the faith of a nation renewed, for "Semper Paratus" and "Non sibi sed patriae," for "Never forget" and "Never surrender," for freedom from fear and freedom to dream, for free minds and free markets, for freedom with responsibility, we give thee praise.
For the Song of Solomon and the Prayer of St. Francis, for "the Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer," for "without vision we perish," for Proverbs 28, for John 3:16, for "The Old Rugged Cross," for "The Solid Rock," and for "What a Friend We Have in Jesus," we offer eternal thanks.For "All men are created equal," for "Tear down this wall," for "Ask not what your country can do for you," for "Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," for "I swear to uphold the laws and Constitution of the United States of America, against all enemies foreign and domestic," we give thee praise.
For iron will, for steely resolve, for mettle tested and time-worn, for uncommon valor that never sleeps, for steady hands, sturdy legs, broad shoulders, and level heads, for stiff upper lips, for blood, sweat and tears, for conquering our fears, and for unbending courage in the face of the unknown, we give thee praise.
O Father, we come to thee on this national day to join with heart and voice all the people of our blessed land to honor and thank thee. We ask you, Lord, as our forefathers did in times of strife, "to inspire our commanders both by land and sea, and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the providence of Almighty God, to secure for these United States the greatest of all blessings: independence and peace."
For precious life itself in this great nation—under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all—we thank thee, O Father. Amen.
Michelle Malkin is author of Invasion: How America Still Welcomes Terrorists, Criminals, and Other Foreign Menaces to Our Shores. Click here for Michelle Malkin's website.
Copyright 2002 Creators Syndicate, INC.
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This holiday thread will run through Sunday, November 30th.
Please drop by when time permits and share a cup of fellowship
with us. New FRiends and old FRiends are always welcome at
our cyber table. So, pull up a chair ~ we are glad you are here.
We now return to our regularly scheduled program...
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To you and your family,
from the "Finest" hostesses ~
Billie, Mama_Bear, Dansangel, Dutchess, Aquamarine
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