Thanksgiving Sermon

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.