Did anyone recognize that line from a song I remember singing as a kid? It would go on to say "I'm thankful for the earth. I'm thankful for the sea. I'm thankful for my country and I'm thankful to be me." Or at least I think those are the words.
Speaking of singing, in church this week we sang some songs for Thanksgiving. My favorite weeks are the ones near holidays where we get to sing songs that I'm really familiar with. I remembered singing those Thanksgiving songs in elementary school growing up but when I was singing the words in church, it occurred to me that my niece and nephew probably don't even know what these songs are because they would never fly in a school system these days. Part of me is amazed that they let me sing about God even back then and another big part of me is really sad for the kids today who don't get to learn these classic holiday songs.
A lot of blogs have focused on lists of things they are grateful for this month, being Thanksgiving themed and all. I totally wanted to copy them!! But I decided to wait and hold it all in for this week to really embrace the holiday spirit. I adore Thanksgiving (yes, more than Christmas in some ways) but this year, partly because of my vacation and partly because of the unseasonably warm weather (snowstorm aside) we have been experiencing, I feel a little unprepared for turkey day this week. So my hope is that focusing for a few days, at least, on the real roots of the celebration will bring me up to speed.
Each year in my journal on Thanksgiving I fill a page with things I am thankful for, large and small. I would like to follow that pattern and, in no particular order, list a bunch of things I am really grateful for:
lipgloss my bishop reality tv my husband my mother Stella (my cat) Pants (my kitten) cereal my VIP movie pass a supportive work environment a job in this economy my ability to travel this past year my new carpet and green paint DVR Plimoth Plantation family traditions the smell of Barnes and Nobles time to read nutella Golden Girls heat fall foliage raspberries my car pools to swim in during the winter hiking trails The Humane Society friends Target a safe relationship health insurance my grant being funded being part of a faith community
And thank YOU for reading this:) Happy Thanksgiving!
That's a great list. I'm thankful for a lot of those things too. I hope you had a good Thanksgiving! Did you spend it at Plimoth Plantation?
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