THANKSGIVING POEMS, SAYINGS & QUOTATIONS
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No longer forward nor behind,
I look in hope or fear.
But, grateful, take the good I find,
The best of now and here...
~John Greenleaf Whittier
So once in every year we throng
Upon a day apart,
To praise the Lord with feast and song
In thankfulness of heart...
~Arthur Guiterman
"Our Creator shall continue to dwell above the sky, and that is where those on earth will end their thanksgiving..."
~Seneca
"Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live..."
~Jackie Windspear
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"Remember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light..! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude..!"
~Henry Ward Beecher
"If the only prayer you ever say in your whole life is 'thank you', that would suffice..."
~Meister Eckhart
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them..."
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy
"So it is that on Thanksgiving Day each year, we give thanks to Almighty God for all His blessings and mercies shown to us not just on the good days or the Thanksgiving days, but every day of every year in our lives..."
~Michael AngelOh
"Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men, but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude..."
~E. P. Powell
"Nothing purchased can come close to the renewed sense of gratitude for having family and friends..."
~Courtland Milloy
"It is delightfully easy to thank God for the grace we ourselves have received, but it requires great grace to thank God always for the grace given to others..."
~James Smith
"Praise is the best auxiliary to prayer; and he who most bears in mind what has been done for him by God will be most emboldened to supplicate fresh gifts from above..."
~Henry Melville
"If we meet someone who owes us thanks, we right away remember that. But how often do we meet someone to whom we owe thanks without remembering that..?"
~Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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"All ye Pilgrims with your wives and little ones, do gather at the Meeting House, on the hill... there to listen to the pastor, and render Thanksgiving to the Almighty God for all His blessings..."
~1620 Governor William Bradford leader of the Pilgrim Colony
"That with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor, and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please God..."
~1777 Congress of the United States first National Thanksgiving Proclamation
"Our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced..."
~January 1, 1795 George Washington first United States President set aside Thursday, the 19th day of February, 1795 as a National Day of Thanksgiving
"Announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord. But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, by the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people..."
~October 3, 1863 Abraham Lincoln proclaimed, by Act of Congress, an annual National Day of Thanksgiving "on the last Thursday of November, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens
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THANKSGIVING PRAYERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD
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Many diverse cultures throughout the centuries have given thanks for many different reasons and although they may differ in their outward expression they all essentially celebrate gratefulness for life's blessings. Thanksgiving has always been a special day for me to give thanks for the things I'm most grateful for and to honor the Spirit of Giving Thanks I share this special holyday offering entitled: "Thanks Giving Prayers from Around the World". The wonderous ways people from many diverse cultures and backgrounds have unified throughout the centuries through prayer and giving thanks has truly been an inspiration to me. I hope you'll agree.
This is the prayer that my dear old Dad would usually initiate with all family members holding hands. Since his passing in 1997 my beloved Mother does us the honor before Thanksgiving and most other meals.
Bless us, oh Lord,
for these thy gifts,
which we are about to receive,
from thy bounty, through Christ our Lord. Amen
Martin-Franchini Family
We give thanks to God for bringing our hearts together,
for we are creating memories that will last forever.
We give thanks to God for our freedom to Love,
for we know that it comes from the Great Spirit above.
We give thanks to God and pray that we'll be here next year,
to celebrate our blessings during the holydays with love and good cheer. Amen
St Martin-Gosselin Family
"I am from Bulgaria. Thanksgiving is very old American holiday, but it is absolutely unknown for us, Bulgarian people. I like very much this Indian Quotation"
Our Creator shall continue to dwell above the sky, and this is where those on the earth will end their thanksgiving. Amen
Tressa Hilburn Family
Bless this food to our use
and Us to thy service Amen
taught to our family by The Rev. Wal
"My mother found this somewhere along her journeys and taught it to my brother and me. She said it was well-known and wherever she found it's lost to the ages). We claim none of the original artistic nor poetic inspiration but find it to be a nice pause before meals. If someone does know its origin, we would love to credit the source accurately. I memorized this in early college days and use it when someone asks for an unusual grace."
For sun and rain, for fruit and grain,
For friends we love so dearly.
For gentle moments and kindly hearts,
We thank thee, Lord, sincerely. Amen
Swift Family
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God is great, God is good,
Let us thank Him for this food. Amen
Thank you for the world so sweet,
Thank you for the food we eat,
Thank you for the birds that sing,
Thank you, God, for everything. Amen
Our table graces in childhood
"In the light of September 11 events, we are making a special thanks giving to the Lord as well as to the people of America who are fighting against terror. Praise God form whom all blessings Flow. We have many things to be thankful for, God, and sometimes we remember them and at times we forget. When something large or small goes wrong, it fills our mind. And we forgot those things which thou has showered upon us."
God, shower blessings on every needy person,
on every sick, and free us from bondage of fear.
God, we especially pray for American people
who are using thy gifts for others.
Help us to remember the good things, God.
To name them, to savor them, and to be thankful to You. Amen
Glassmire Family
This prayer was made by me. Two people are selected to read from a paper given to them. They will take turns at alternating sentences.
Holy Father,
We gather together to ask
your blessing this Thanksgiving Day
God bless America, land that I love
You stand beside us in times of need,
as on September 11, giving Peace and Love to all
Stand beside her and guide her,
through the night with the Light from above
Your handiworks are our home
where warm loving hearts
of family ties are brought together
From the mountains, to the prairies,
to the ocean white with foam
We raise our voices in praise to you
through Christ our Lord. Amen
Joseph Gathia Family
"I was taught this prayer when I was a child and it was already old by then. I know it is several generations old."
Dear Jesus,
Thank you for this food.
Bless us all.
Keep us from harm.
Guide and direct us,
through all the way. Amen
Barbara Hawkey Family
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As we bow our head
And hold each other's hand,
We listen for the returning peace
That surrounds our festive table.
The silence is so present
That it's loud with serene joy.
The warming skin reaches our heart
And recalls of Mother-love.
The prayer ends...
We don't want it to end. Amen
Tomasello Family
"This is a Boy Scout grace" ( raiment means clothing )
For food, for raiment,
For life, for opportunity,
For friendship, and fellowship,
We thank thee o' Lord. Amen
"And this is an Irish grace."
Bless us O' Lord as we sit together.
Bless the food we eat this day.
Bless the hands that made the food.
Bless us O' Lord. Amen
J. David Boyd Family
Thank you Lord for the food we receive
and for the Sun and rain that helped it grow.
Thank you Lord for happiness
from the sharing and caring you show. Amen
Jim, NJ
"My Pappa Goodyear used to say this at each and every meal. I will never forget it."
Heavenly Father, Forgive us of our sins, and make us thankful for these and all other blessings. In Jesus name, Amen (and everyone says Amen)
Holland Family
"In my own family we take turns with a verse like this:"
God is Great
God is Good (My son)
Let us Thank Him for our Food (My daughter)
By his hand we are fed (me, Mom)
Thank you Lord for our daily bread (husband, aka Dad) Amen ( everyone saids Amen" together and squeezes hands )
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"This came from my great-grandfather's family."
Good and Gracious Lord,
Give us true and and thankful hearts
for the many blessings we are about to receive.
In Jesus name, Amen
The Goodyear Family
"When my children, nephew and nieces were little (just starting to put sentences together) they always wanted to say grace before any meal. We gave them a very simple grace that is used today at all our meals."
Thank you God, For this food,
our family, and friends,
and all that you do. Amen
Nordan-Deese Family
"I saved this from an Ann Landers column years ago. She ran it each Thanksgiving and I think it's timeless."
O, heavenly Father:
We thank thee for food and remember the hungry.
We thank thee for health and remember the sick.
We thank thee for friends and remember the friendless.
We thank thee for freedom and remember the enslaved.
May these remembrances stir us to service,
That thy gifts to us may be used for others. Amen
Connor Family
Thank you, God, for the birds that sing, the family that we love, and the food that we eat. Please be with those who are hungry and those who suffer. Thank you. Amen
N. Mims
God, We Thank You
God, we thank you for this wonderful food in front of us.
God, we thank you for bringing all of us together again.
God, we thank you for all of the things you do for all of us.
God, we thank you for watching over us from above, everyday.
God, we thank you most of all for the wonderful life
that you have given all of us.
We pray for all the people of the world.
God, thank you. Amen
Alexandra and Kristina
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"Here is a grace I wrote for Thanksgiving several years ago. I have used it every year since then and the family seems to like it."
Great Creator Spirit of Life,
Help us understand the need for the sacrifice of life for the sustenance of life. Make sacred the use of these your plants and animals so that we might have life not only in the flesh but also in spirit.
Thank you for that gift of life and keep us ever aware of our debts. Help our farmers and gardeners find loving, kind ways to produce the fruits, grains, vegetables and animals that we use.
Keep us from the misuse of your good creation and lead us to wisdom, kindness, justice, and mercy. For we pray in the name of Your Child, our brother Jesus, Mary's boy, whom we recognize a You With Us. Amen
D'Alessandro Family
"My fourth grade teacher taught me this prayer. I will probably teach it to my children someday."
For these and all thy gifts of love,
We give Thee thanks and praise.
Look down dear Father from above,
And bless us all our days. Amen
Janet E. Brown
"My mom taught me a very nice prayer when I was small and now even my grandchildren utter the same words."
Thank you Lord for the day so Bright
Thank you Lord for the food so Nice
Thank you Lord for Everything. Amen
Julia McLean
"We in the Anglican Church of Canada often say "The Primate's Grace"
(the Primate is the senior bishop of the Anglican Church of Canada)"
For food in a world where many walk in hunger
For friends in a world where many walk alone
For faith in a world where many walk in fear
We give you thanks, O Lord. Amen
Richelle Bharwani, Jakarta, Indonesia
"We have a grace that was always said at my mother's table when she grew up and is now said at her grandchildren's tables, still going strong four generations later. I have no idea where it came from but a family meal wouldn't be right without it. Our family always added, And please watch after us all. Amen. after the main part much to the consternation of our cousins who didn't say it at their house. My brother's family who are Roman Catholic start with the Sign of the Cross and then say it. A great adaptation of their father's tradition and their mother's tradition."
God, bless this food which now we take,
to do us good for Jesus' sake. Amen
Rob Towler
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"I have a couple of different graces that our family uses. The first is a Swedish grace and the second is a Moravian grace from our Moravian church."
In Jesus name to the table we go.
God bless the food we receive.
To God the honor, to us the gain,
so we have food in Jesus' name. Amen
Susan Naylor
Come Lord Jesus our guest to be
and bless these gifts bestowed by thee.
Bless our loved ones everywhere
and keep them in your loving care. Amen
Moravian Grace
"Our family has been saying this Grace before meals for over twenty years. I like it because it was easily understood by all of the children and expressed thanks for the people and natural gifts that God gives us."
God, we thank you for this food,
For rest and home and all things good.
For wind and rain and sun above,
And most of all, for those we love. Amen
Kenneth R. Magar Family
"This has been a favorite at our home for quite some time. It seems to say it all."
Our Father in Heaven,
For this meal you have given
We want to say thank you from our hearts.
Bless the ones who prepared it
And Lord as we share it
Will you stay with us
And be our guest of Honor. Amen
The Hayden Family
Dear Father, we pray for peace
Dear Father, we pray for love
At this time I ask you please
to help us from your Kingdom up above. Amen
Brent and Jan Hays
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"This is the traditional family grace of the extended Prickett-Miller family. All join hands around the table."
God is great, God is good
Let us thank him for our food.
God bless those of our loved ones
who are absent from us. Amen
( Amen said loudly while squeezing the hands you hold )
Alex
"In 1931, I was graduated from Northfield Seminary (now Northfield Mount Herman School) in East Northfield, Massachusetts. This is a grace that we frequently said in unison before meals."
Northfield Blessing
We thank thee, Lord, for this our food,
For health and strength and every good.
Let manna to our souls be given,
The Bread of Life sent down from heaven. Amen
Virginia M. Ambler
"This grace was said 365 days a year throughout my entire childhood. It was always said by my Dad but now, as he has passed on, when the family gathers together, it falls to me and I'm honoured."
The NYE Family Grace
For every comfort we enjoy
For food before us set
We thank Thee Father...
Through Thy love
Our needs are always met..! Amen
Florence Porter Winters
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Lord, thank you for this Thanksgiving Day. Thank you for all the many many blessings you bestow on us each and everyday. Thank you for the little things we over look from day to day. Lord, I pray you feed the ones today less fortunate. Draw up real close to them and let them know how very precious you are. I pray Lord, for the ones who are down and out today. Lord, put your loving arms around them and draw them up close to you and show them your love. Thank you for each one around this table Lord, and thank you Lord for the ones who prepared this food. In your loving name. Amen
Sylvie Hanna
"My grandmother taught this grace to us when we were very small. My brother and sisters and cousins and I are all now passing this tradition on by teaching it to the next generation of children in our family. It is a wonderful legacy that will go on and on! Thank you Bama..!"
God thou giver of all that is good,
we thank thee for this food.
Bless it to our use, in Jesus name. Amen
Ann Graham Family
"This is the prayer we used in our household growing up and probably the one I will teach my children one day."
God is great, God is good
Let us thank you for our food
By his hands we all are fed
give us lord our daily bread. Amen
Cheryl Dukes
"Here's a blessing the host used to say every day on a local LA kids show in the late 1960's."
God is great, God is good.
Thank you for our daily food.
Bless us even as we pray.
Guide and keep us through this day. Amen
Joe and Caroline Floyd
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"My grandfather taught me this grace when I was very young. It was one of his favorites. Now my children love to say it."
Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing
thank you God for everything. Amen
Vince Contreras
"My husband has be saying this grace since he came home from kindergarten. Do you think the teachers will ever know what an impact they make on our children's lives..?"
God you made the great wide world,
The Earth and sky and mountains tall,
The flying bird's and swimming fish,
Oh God we thank you for them all. Amen
Michele DeRoche Family
Oh the Lord is good to me.
So I thank him for giving me the things I need
The sun, and the rain and the apple tree.
The Lord is good to me..! Amen
Marcy
"Here is the prayer that I wrote for my child as soon as he was old enough to begin reciting. It's been a special part of our family for ten years now, and I'd like to share it with your readers."
Thank you, God, for this nice day;
Bless our food, our work, our play. Amen
The Wilson Family
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"We used this a lot when we were kids, I think from Brownies."
Johnny Appleseed
The Lord is good to me
and so I thank the Lord
For giving me
the things I need
The sun and the rain
and the appleseed
The Lord is good to me. Amen
( note: This prayer is from the 1948 Disney movie "Melody Time" and was sung in the film by Dennis Day who was the voice of Johnny Appleseed )
Jennifer Miller
"A special favorite of six-year-old Nicole."
Dear God,
Thank you for everything.
You know that we love you
and say prayers when we meet up with our families.
We love you so much we want to thank you for Thanksgiving. Amen
"My father (now deceased) taught this to his Christian and Jewish grandchildren when they were very little. Whenever we pray it we remember his loving care and guidance in bringing different faiths in our family together."
We thank you, Lord,
for happy hearts,
for rain and sunny weather;
we thank you for the food we eat,
and that we are together. Amen
Patterson Family
"The Bower Family has enjoyed these for many years. Penned by Dad, now Grandpa Bob, as my husband and sister-in-law were children. Our rule is you can't wear out just one. We take turns each evening saying grace and choose from the following:"
For food, for friends, for happiness we give our thanks to Thee,
And pray that other families may be as blessed as we.
We thank you God, that we're alive and for this food we eat.
Forgive our sins and guard us too, and please God keep us sweet!
For all we eat, for all we wear, for all the good things everywhere,
Father in Heaven we thank thee. Amen
Bender Family
Thank you Lord Jesus for you forgive us each and every day.
Thank you for those loving arms that take our hurts away.
Thank you for the time you hung on that cross alone,
because of the love for all of us, one day we will all be welcome home.
There is no thanks great enough that could pass from cheek to tongue,
but may our thanks be heard in heaven every time your praise is sung. Amen
The Bower Family, Joan, Robert, and Amanda
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Our Precious Heavenly Father,
Please bless the bounty that has been prepared before us.
Bless those who are with us today and those who are not.
Thank you Lord for all the many blessings that you have so graciously bestowed upon us.
Thank you for giving your life so that we may have life.
Father bless those who are less fortunate,
Bless the children for they are our future,
Bless our elders for they are our history.
For all of this I ask in you Holy name. Amen
Bonnie Frederick
"Our preschooler says this at his school."
Thank you God for blue skies over me,
Green grass under me,
Good friends beside me.
Thank you God for good food in front of me
And peace all over the world. Amen
Leslie Chesney
"My daughter applied this psalm to mealtime when she was seven."
O, Lord God almighty,
Who is like you?
You are mighty O, Lord,
And your faithfulness surrounds you..!
God Bless Us..! Amen
The Claussen Family
"This has been our family's special prayer since my Mom and I found it on a poster nearly 15 years ago. It has been framed and hanging in my now 6 ft. tall son's room since he was a toddler. The poster says the author is anonymous."
Thank you, Lord, for each new day you give to me,
For earth and sky and sand and sea,
For rainbows after springtime showers,
Autumn leaves and summer flowers,
Winter snowscapes so serene,
Harvest fields of gold and green,
Beauty shining all around,
Lilac scent and robin sound,
Stars that twinkle high above
And all the people that I love. Amen
The Claussen Family
"This prayer is old and widely used... our family always said it, and our church sometimes sang it to the tune of Old Hundredth."
Be present at our table, Lord;
be here, and everywhere adored;
Thy mercies bless and grant that we
may feast in fellowship with Thee. Amen
"And an all time favorite of mine has been one that I happened to find many years ago in a Reader's Digest. I am sorry that I do not know who originally submitted it, but I do understand that if you use something with any regularity, after a period of time it becomes yours to claim."
Almighty God,
Thy Will,
Nothing More,
Nothing Less,
Nothing Else..! Amen
Jani, Mike and Chris Kennedy
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Come, Lord Jesus,
Be our guest,
And let Thy gifts to us
Be blest. Amen
Henry M. Willits
"This little blessing was taught to my children many years ago by a Rev. Charlie Hopla from England."
Bless the food upon the dishes
as you blessed the loaves and fishes.
As the sugar hides in the tea,
let me hide myself in Thee. Amen
Kurt Schmeiser Family
"I received this prayer from
Father Flanagan's Boys Home in Girls and Boys Town, Nebraska a few years ago. It doesn't mention who the author was. I take the liberty to edit it to fit my personal occasion. Here is how it was sent from Boy's Town."
A Thanksgiving Day Prayer
LORD, We humbly ask thy blessing on the turkey and the dressing, on the yams and cranberry jelly, and on the pickles from the deli.
Bless the apple pie and tea, bless each and every calorie. Let us enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, tomorrow we can all get thinner.
For all Thy help along the way, we're thankful this Thanksgiving Day. We're thankful, too, for all our dear ones, for all the far away and near ones.
Although we may be far apart, we're together in my heart.
Keep us in Thy loving care,
this is my Thanksgiving prayer.
P.S. Anyone who wishes may help with the dishes. Amen
Anne Ingram
Father Flanagan's Boy's Town, submitted by Ron
The eyes of all look to you, Lord.
You give us our food when we need it.
You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
(Psalm 145:15-16)
J. Doug O'Shell and Family
"Here's a little prayer that came through quite spontaneously a few Happy Thanksgiving's ago."
Blessed Be Me
Blessed Be You
Blessed Be the things,
we Think, Say and Do.
Here and in the Here After... Amen
Wishing you, you're Family and Friends,
the most Joyful and Blessed of all ThanksGiving Holydays...
God Bless You, Michael AngelOh
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NATIVE AMERICAN INDIAN THANKSGIVING PRAYER
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The First Native Americans even in prehistoric times, observed many rituals and ceremonies to express gratitude to a higher power for life itself. A Seneca American Indian ritual, for example, states:
"Our Creator shall continue to dwell above the sky, and this is where those on the earth will end their thanksgiving..."
Another quotation of the American Indians from a time well before the Europeans came to know about America reads as follows:
"The plant has its nourishment from the earth and its limbs go up this way, in praise of its Maker, like the limbs of a tree..."
Native American Indian Thanksgiving Prayer
O Great Spirit,
Now that I am about to eat
Give my thanks to the beasts and birds
whom You have provided for my hunger
and pray deliver my sorrow that living things
must make a sacrifice for my comfort and well-being.
Let the feather of corn spring up in its time
and let it not wither but make full grains
for the fires of our cooking pots
now that I am about to eat.
GIVING THANKS & HOLIDAY WEBSITE LINKS
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THE POWER OF HEALING PRAYER CIRCLE
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