I
Am Thankful
(Psalm
106, Ephesians 5:15-20)
In the tranquil peace of early morn
When the new day’s sky is dark and dim
The only sound the steady drip of acidic black water
Meant to ‘waken the sleepy soul, a morning hymn.
It’s then that the Sierras to the east
Stand guard over the Valley floor
Looming like giant sentinels
Shoulder to shoulder, solid to the core
Watching this land awake,
Tractors leaving the barn, a nurse’s daily commute,
The ordinary stuff of ordinary life
All give meaning to the common pursuit.
For the simple knowledge of this one life, this one land,
I am thankful.
History, it can be argued, holds the keys
Which once unlocked give reason to all we see.
When the past is unearthed and explored
We begin to understand how things came to be.
For us, there’s the old martyr story of mother Margaret , her tongue
screwed shut
And the noble Dirk running over a sheet of ice.
There’s a bell ringing against a far-off war
And the gift of a school kit, a relief kit, just enough to suffice.
But history holds its dark treasures too.
The memories of choosing the all-too-familiar path,
The relentless search for unending fun
The confident boast, the last laugh.
For me I’ll remember the story of cracks in the thin walls,
The fact that he was called yellow on a war-time train,
An eager classroom, an endless desert,
That after a long day’s journey, here comes the rain.
For the gift of this one life standing upon the memory of others,
I am thankful.
In this one solitary life I’ve seen eagles fly
And I’ve joined my voice with the chorus singing of the sweet bye and bye.
I’ve
been blessed to see three babies born
and
I’ve held the hands of the newly forlorn.
My
heart’s been broken by the words we’re
through
and
I’ve learned that a heart can be born anew.
I’ve
stared at the coffin of a young friend now gone
And
I’ve heard the old say how long?
I’ve
seen Hamlet brood to be or not to be?
While
others cry I just want to be free.
I’ve
watched colorful church women bend and sway
To
the rhythm of song till my heart was swept away.
Yet
I’ve learned that while my soul may soar
Another is left longing for more.
And
I’ve found that just because I voice we
care
Is
no guarantee that life will always be fair.
For
the gift of this one life with all its glory and yet its confounding imponderables,
I
am thankful.
In
this one solitary life I’ve seen beauty unveiled
On
a soccer pitch and in a farmer’s colorful tale.
I’ve
noticed that the leaves of fall and Springtime’s budding green
hint
of heaven’s glory which remains for us cloaked, unseen.
I’ve
found joy in DMB, Dylan, Saltwater, brothers Avett, Baez, Foxes, at every turn
And
then too an Ewy cello, a song of praise, a Krehbiel horn, a Joleen solo, a
Boldt original, an Ele offertory, a sung hymn, a Chopin nocturne.
I’ve
stared at the ocean’s heartbeat, the ritual heave of the waves, foamy tentacles
on the sandy shore
And
I’ve heard the sound of silence in an ancient forest, a muted symphony all
creation can adore.
I’ve
seen hope in the eyes of the young and wisdom in the minds of the old
I’ve
known grace to be offered by the strong and mercy proffered by the bold.
I
know compassion is given by the weak and love runs deep among the poor
Strong
prayers are offered by the pauper and the most unfortunate will seek to
restore.
For
the gift of this one life with all its beauty,
I
am thankful.
I
praise thee O God, with heart, and hand, and voice,
For
wondrous things you have done, with all creation I rejoice.
When
people trapped in a foreign land
Know
deliverance from all the forces which conspire to bind
They
sing an old song in a new way
Now
tasting the sweet fruits for which they were designed.
When
people’s hearts are stretched enough to see
In
their new neighbor’s strange ways the spark of the divine
They
experience anew what Paul taught,
That
these Gentiles can share with us a common mind.
Jesus
has always been there
The
critical, consistent fabric of my life, constant friend,
Savior
and King, Example and Guide,
Changing
yet forever, please be with me til the end.
For
the gift of faith, the promise of deliverance, the gift of Jesus,
I
am thankful.
In
the end there is faith, hope, and love, these three, and the greatest of these
is love.
Love
is known in the kindness of a Samaritan
It’s
found in the prisons and on the gridiron too
It’s
offered by priests and sinners, saints and charlatans.
Love
has no boundary lines, it has no end.
It’s
known in congregations and families
It’s
found in the face of a mom welcoming home her wandering son
It’s
offered to all who God above sees.
In
this one solitary life I’ve seen the marvelous expanse of stars above
And
I’ve witnessed the birth of holy love.
I’ve
seen elephants walk and gardens fair
And
I’ve seen kindness offered, a gift beyond compare.
All
good gifts around us are sent from heaven above,
So
thank the Lord, O thank the Lord, for all his love.
Yes,
I am thankful.
