Our Thanksgiving!

As we got up on Thanksgiving Day, we gave Thanks for the rain that the Lord had seen to send our way! It was a delight to look out the kitchen window and see it drizzling or to walk out on the back porch and see the pile of muddy shoes that the boys had worn! We truly had Thankful hearts on this day!

Momma had cleaned house the day before and I had decorated with our "autumn or Thanksgiving" decorations, and we were so excited to be having company over to help us "celebrate" Thanksgiving!

Mid-afternoon rolled around and we were just starting our dinner!! We usually have dinner at this time on special days (Thanksgiving & Christmas) as a change of pace. We didn't have a whole lot of cooking to do as our guests were bringing some food, but as you can see the table is LOADED down with food!!! It was a terrific meal with wonderful conversation!

After dinner, all the boys and men went out for a good rousing time of "see who can use up their ammo first"!!! Us ladies joined halfway through and some of us even got in on the action! Collin let me shoot his shotgun and then I shot my Great Grandfathers' .22. Trevor and Tristan put out a bunch of tin cans and blew them away with their shotguns (both shooting at the same time....)
When the guns come out and start to make a racket, all of the dogs either get under something or get in the dog house! They hate the noise and Lila won't come out of the dog house until she is certain that the noise is really over!!
After the ammo was used up, several of us went for a walk to work off the extra turkey calories and then went in for Pumpkin Pie and fellowship!!!
It was a wonderful Thanksgiving day!

A Hymn for Thanksgiving.

In light of the fact that tomorrow is Thanksgiving day, I'm going to post a hymn in honor of it.
I first sung this particular hymn about seven years ago during our Church's' missions conference. I was intrigued with the melody as it seemed "haunting"to me at the time; now I think the music actually causes me to focus more on the words.

"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come"

"Come, ye thankful people come-

Raise the song of harvest home.

All is safely gathered in,

Ere the winter storms begin.

God, our Maker, doth provide

For our wants to be supplied:

Come to God's own temple, come-

Raise the song of harvest home."

"All the world is God's own field,
Fruit unto His praise to yield;
Wheat and tares together sown,
Unto joy or sorrow grown.
First the blade and then the ear,
Then the full corn shall appear:
Lord of harvest, grant that we
Wholesome grain and pure may be."

"For the Lord our God shall come
And shall take His harvest home;
From His field shall in that day
All offenses purge away;
Give His angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast,
But the fruitful ears to store
In His garner evermore."

"Even so, Lord, quickly come
To Thy final harvest home;
Gather Thou They people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin;
There, forever purified,
In They presence to abide:

Come, with all Thine angels, come-
Raise the glorious harvest home."

Words by: Henry Alford (1810-1871)

Music by: George J. Elvey (1816-1893)

A Hymn For Sunday

My Mother usually posts a hymn on Sundays' and since this particular hymn has been a goin' round and round in my head this past week, I thought I would share it with you!

"For the Beauty of the Earth"

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth-
Over and around us lies:
Lord of all to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flow'er,
Sun and moon, and stars of light:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child,

Friends on earth, and friends above,

For all gentle thought and mild:

Lord of all to Thee we raise,
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For Thyself, best Gift Divine!

To our race so freely giv'n;

For that great, great love of Thine,

Peace on earth, and joy in heav'n:

Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.

Words by: Folliott S. Pierpoint
Music by; Conrad Kocher (adapted by: William Henry Monk)