Plenty to Be Thankful For

Holiday Inn is most famous for introducing the world to Irving Berlin's classic "White Christmas" performed by Bing Crosby. But today I'm thinking about another song from the movie that nobody remembers. It doesn't even get a full performance (my recent lament about the decline in the observance of Thanksgiving could go back a ways), but we do hear part of "Plenty to Be Thankful For."

As we celebrate the holiday, we have the kids home, along with Rhonda's roommate from college. Rhonda's boyfriend Ben is flying in tonight. My parents fly in (God and American Airlines and DFW Airport willing) tomorrow. Thanksgiving is a family time. And I'm glad we'll be together.

It's been a tough year, and yet...

We're healthy. We have plenty of (too much) food. We have a warm house. We live in America. What else do we need?

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers' arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.
Martin Rinckart, c. 1640