Giving Thanks

This picture from our back yard shows a satsuma tree with an orange tree behind it. I'm thankful to God and to Grandpère for the satsumas and oranges, and especially for the fresh orange juice that GP squeezes.

I'm thankful for my faith, my family and friends, my health, my home, my new president-elect, and all the bountiful riches in my life. The choicest riches are those which cannot be bought with money.

Prayer of General Thanksgiving

Almighty God, Father of all mercies, we your unworthy servants give you humble thanks for all your goodness and loving-kindness to us and to all whom you have made. We bless you for our creation, preservation, and all the blessings of this life; but above all for your immeasurable love in the redemption of the world by our Lord Jesus Christ; for the means of grace, and for the hope of glory. And, we pray, give us such an awareness of your mercies, that with truly thankful hearts we may show forth your praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives, by giving up our selves to your service, and by walking before you in holiness and righteousness all our days; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory throughout all ages. Amen.

(Book of Common Prayer, p.101)

In honor of our Native American brothers and sisters:

An Iroquois Prayer

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, with sustains us. We return thanks to the rivers and streams,which supply us with water. We return thanks to all herbs, which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases. We return thanks to the corn, and to her sisters, the beans and squash, which give us life. We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit. We return thanks to the wind, which, moving the air, has banished diseases. We return thanks to the moon and the stars, which have given us their light when the sun was gone. We return thanks to our grandfather He-no, .., who has given to us his rain. We return thanks to the sun, that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye. Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of his children.

A Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Thanks to Diane and her post titled What We See for the inspiration to post the Iroquois prayer.