Sing the Song of Gratitude – November 24, 2002
Today we “sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving”;1 we offer grateful hearts to the Giver of life and breath. Instead of pondering all that we need or all that we want, let us sing the song of gratitude.
Like faithful pilgrims who crossed oceans of uncertainty and planted seeds of hope in a strange land, we give thanks. Even while facing incredible challenges, the pilgrims found reason to be glad and grateful. Of them, a poet wrote: “There was very little for them to eat,/ Nothing special and nothing sweet;/ Only bread and a little broth,/ And a bit of fruit (and no tablecloth).” They took delight in simple manifestations of God’s love. “They were glad of broth to go with their bread,/ Glad their apples were round and red,/ Glad of mayflowers they would bring/ Out of the woods again next spring.”2 Choosing not to wait until sturdy homes could be built with warm fires and cozy beds, the pilgrims gave thanks for family and friends, fields yet unplowed, prayers that could be spoken.
Today we likewise express deep appreciation for life’s bounties—though we recognize the reality of our world. Life isn’t easy for any of us. Current events are frequently scary; tragedies and troubles are about us—every day. But rising above it all is the shining light of gratitude.
We are thankful for sunshine and rain, for changing seasons and natural wonders; for mountains and lakes, small streams and fruited plains; for amazing creatures who walk and fly over the earth. We are thankful for love and laughter that enrich our world and brighten our outlook.
We are thankful for good people everywhere who reach out and help others. We are thankful for those who are positive, loyal, and kind. We are thankful for love at home, for family and friends, for freedom and faith. All these make life worth living.
As we open our hearts and live in thanksgiving daily,3 we come face to face with God’s goodness. For in His tender mercy, He has bestowed unnumbered blessings upon us. This day and always, let us sing the song of gratitude.
Program #3823
1. Psalm 147:7.
2. Nancy Byrd Turner, “First Thanksgiving of All,” Pure Love (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1997), 61.