Text Examples for
Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving
November 22, 2007

For the person that is hard to buy for we also offer wonderful Native American made gifts at our affilate store the Native American Gift Shop.

Colossians 3:15:
Be ye thankful.
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I Thessalonians 5:18:
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
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Aesop:
Every Day is the perfect Day to say Thanks!
"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls."
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Thanksgiving:
The gifts of nature are worth their weight in gold.
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William Shakespeare:
"O Lord that lends me life, Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness."
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Thanksgiving:
Thanksgiving Day.... is the one day that is purely American."
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Thanksgiving Old Rhyme:
The year has turned its circle, The seasons come and go. The harvest all is gathered in And chilly north winds blow. Orchards have shared their treasures, The fields, their yellow grain, So open wide the doorway~ Thanksgiving comes again!
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Thanksgiving Time:
When all the leaves are off the boughs,
And nuts and apples gathered in,
And cornstalks waiting for the cows,
And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,
Then Mother says, "My children dear, The fields are brown, and autumn flies;
Thanksgiving Day is very near,
And we must make thanksgiving pies!"
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Thanksgiving:
The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.
Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway~
Thanksgiving comes again!
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Thanksgiving Jokes:
If April showers bring May flowers what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims!

Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken's day off.

Why do turkeys always go, "gobble, gobble"?
Because they never learned good table manners!

What sound does a space turkey make?
Hubble, hubble, hubble.

Why did the police arrest the turkey?
They suspected it of fowl play.

Why did they let the turkey join the band?
Because he had the drumsticks.

Which side of the turkey has the most feathers?
The outside.

How did the Mayflower show it liked America?
It hugged the shore.

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Turkey in the barnyard.:
Turkey in the barnyard, what does he say?
Gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble, gobble all day.

Turkey on the table, what do I say?
Yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy, yummy all day.

Turkey in my tummy, what do I say?
I ate too much on Thanksgiving Day!
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Thanksgiving Jokes:
What key has legs and can't open doors?
A Turkey.

What did the mother turkey say to her disobedient children?
If your father could see you now, he'd turn over in his gravy!

If April showers bring May flowers what do May flowers bring?
Pilgrims!

Why did the turkey cross the road?
It was the chicken's day off.
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Thanksgiving Day:
Thanksgiving Day will soon be here
It comes around but once a year
If I could only have my way,
We'd have Thanksgiving every day.
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Turkey Facts:
Ben Franklin thought that the turkey should have been our national bird instead of the eagle.

There is fossil evidence that turkeys have been around Americas for 10 million years!

Some people think the turkey got its name from the Indian word for the bird--"furkee". Other people think its name came from the sound that the bird makes--"turk, turk."

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Autumn Fires:
In the other gardens
And all up the vale,
From the autumn bonfires
See the smoke trail!

Pleasant summer over
And all the summer flowers,
The red fire blazes,
The gray smoke towers.

Sing a song of seasons!
Something bright in all!
Flowers in the summer,
Fires in the fall!

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The Pilgrims came.:
The Pilgrims came across the sea,
And never thought of you and me;
And yet it's very strange the way
We think of them Thanksgiving day.
We tell their story, old and true
Of how they sailed across the blue,
And found a new land to be free
And built their homes quite near the sea.
Every child knows well the tale
Of how they bravely turned the sail
And journeyed many a day and night,
To worship God as they thought right.
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The Legend of the Five Kernels...:
The first winter the Pilgrims spent in their new home was very cold.
Food was in short supply. Some days they had only enough food
for each new person to have five kernels of corn for the day.
Finally spring came. They planted food and it grew. All the Pilgrims did not die.
From then on, when a time of Thanksgiving came around,
the Pilgrims put five kernels of corn on each plate
to remind themselves of their blessings. Let us also remember:

The first kernel reminds us of the autumn beauty around us.
The second kernel reminds us of our love for each other.
The third kernel reminds us of God's love and care for us.
The fourth kernel reminds us of our friends-especially our Native American brothers.
The fifth kernel reminds us that we are a free people.
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Father of the American Revolution November 1, 1777:
(adopted by the 13 states as the first official Thanksgiving Proclamation.
"It is therefore recommended... to set apart
Thursday the eighteenth day of December next,
for solemn thanksgiving and praise, 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..."
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Thankfulness:
"Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms
all around us ...including ourselves.
For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart.
It's message is universal; its lyrics transcend all earthly barriers;
its music touches the heavens."
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A.C.A. Hall:
Learn the lesson of thanksgiving.
It is due to God, it is due to ourselves.
Thanksgiving for the past makes us trustful in the present and hopeful for the future.
What He has done is the pledge of what He will do.
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Thanksgiving Prayer:
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.
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How to observe Thanksgiving.:
Count your blessings instead of your crosses;
Count your gains instead of your losses.
Count your joys instead of your woes;
Count your friends instead of your foes.
Count your smiles instead of your tears;
Count your courage instead of your fears.
Count your full years instead of your lean;
Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.
Count your health instead of your wealth;
Count on God instead of yourself.
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Giving Thanks:
For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped,
For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped,
For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb,
For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land,
For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand,
For the good that our artists and poets have taught,
For the friendship that hope and affection have brought --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

For the homes that with purest affection are blest,
For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest,
For our country extending from sea unto sea;
The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" --
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!
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Thanksgiving Prayer:
Father we thank thee for this food
for health, strength, and all
things good.

May others all these blessings
share, and hearts be grateful
everywhere.

I thank you God for most this amazing day;
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky;
and for everything which is infinite which is yet.
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Traditional Thanksgiving Prayer:
Father we thank Thee for this food,
for health and strength and all things good.
May others all these blessings share,
and hearts be grateful everywhere.
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The Hebrew Prayer Book:
Though our mouths were full of song as the sea,
and our tongues of exultation as the multitude of its waves,
and our lips of praise as the wide-extended firmament;
though our eyes shone with light like the sun and the moon,
and our hands were spread forth like the eagles of heaven,
and out feet were swift as hinds,
we should still be unable to thank thee and bless thy name,
O Lord our God and God of our fathers,
for one thousandth or one ten thousandth part
of the bounties which thou has bestowed
upon our fathers and upon us.
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Singing, the Reapers Homeward Come:
Singing, the reapers homeward come, Io! Io!
Merrily singing the harvest home, Io! Io!
Along the field, along the road,
Where autumn is scattering leaves abroad,
Homeward cometh the ripe last load, Io! Io!

Singers are filling the twilight dim
With cheerful song, Io! Io!
The spirit of song ascends to Him
Who causeth the corn to grow.
He freely sent the gentle rain,
The summer sun glorified hill and plain,
To golden perfection brought the grain, Io! Io!

Silently, nightly, fell the dew,
Gently the rain, Io! Io!
But who can tell how the green corn grew,
Or who beheld it grow?
Oh! God the good, in sun and rain,
He looked on the flourishing fields and grain,
Till they all appeared on hill and plain
Like living gold, Io! Io!
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All Things Bright and Beautiful:
Words based on Genesis 1:31 by Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) This version of the tune is from a 17th Century English melody.

Refrain:
All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
God made their glowing colors,
And made their tiny wings.

(Refrain)
The purple-headed mountains,
The river running by,
The sunset and the morning
That brightens up the sky.

(Refrain)
The cold wind in the winter,
The pleasant summer sun,
The ripe fruits in the garden:
God made them every one.

(Refrain)
God gave us eyes to see them,
And lips that we might tell
How great is God Almighty,
Who has made all things well.
(Refrain)
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Come, Ye Thankful People Come:
Sir George J. Elvey (1816-1893), organist at St. George's Chapel, Windsor

Castle for nearly fifty years, wrote the music to the well-loved
Thanksgiving hymn about 1844. The lyrics are by Henry Alford (1810-1871).

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 the 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,
Bring thy final harvest home;
Gather thou thy people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin,
There, forever purified,
in thy presence to abide;
Come, with all thine angels, come,
Raise the glorious harvest home.
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For the Beauty of the Earth:
Lyrics by Folliot S. Pierpoint (1835-1917)
Arrangement from Conrad Kocher (1786-1872) by W. H. Monk (1823-1889)

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 beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony,
linking sense to sound and sight;
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 thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thy church, that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thyself, best Gift Divine,
to the world so freely given,
for that great, great love of thine,
peace on earth, and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.
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To Gramma's House:
The words are traditional. Sung to Farmer in the Dell.

To Gramma's house we go,
Heigh ho, heigh ho, heigh ho!
We're on our way with horse and sleigh,
Through fluffy drifts of snow.

Oh, what a trip to take.
She'll have a chocolate cake.
There'll be some pies, of monstrous size,

And chestnuts we can bake

To Gramma's house we go,
Heigh ho, heigh ho, heigh ho!
What lovely things Thanksgiving brings;
The nicest things we know!
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We Gather Together:
In the early 1600s, Dutch settlers brought the Prayer of Thanksgiving to
the "New World". Music, based on a Netherlands folk hymn, was added
and it became a favorite in the colonies and today is a
traditional Thanksgiving hymn.
This a translation by Theodore Baker (1851-1934).

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens his will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing,
Sing praises to his name: He forgets not his own.

Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,
Ordaining, maintaining his kingdom devine;
So from the beginning the fight we were winning;
Thou, Lord, wast at our side, All glory be thine!

We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant,
And pray that thou still our defender wilt be.
Let thy congregation escape tribulation;
Thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!
Amen
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Faith of Our Fathers:
Lyrics Frederick W. Farber, 1814-1863
Music: Henry F. Hemy, 1818-1888
Faith of our fathers! living still
In spite of dungeon, fire, and sword;
O how our hearts beat high with joy
When e're we hear that glorious word!
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

Faith of our fathers! we will strive
To win all nations unto thee;
And through the truth that comes from God
Mankind shall then be truly free.
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.

Faith of our fathers! we will love
Both friend and foe in all our strife;
And preach thee, too, as love knows how
By kindly words and virtuous life
Faith of our fathers, holy faith!
We will be true to thee till death.
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Twas the night of Thanksgiving.:
Twas the night of Thanksgiving, I just couldn't sleep.
I tried counting backwards, I tried counting sheep.

The leftovers beckoned--the dark meat and white,
but I fought the temptation with all of my might.

Tossing and turning with anticipation,
the thought of a snack became infatuation.

So, I raced to the kitchen, flung open the door
and gazed at the fridge, full of goodies galore.

I gobbled up turkey and buttered potatoes,
pickles and carrots, beans and tomatoes.

I felt myself swelling so plump and so round,
till all of a sudden, I rose off the ground.

I crashed through the ceiling,
floating into the sky
With a mouthful of pudding and a handful of pie.

But, I managed to yell as I soared past the trees.......
happy eating to all---pass the cranberries, please!
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A Cornucopia of Blessings:
Red is for beautiful dancing leaves,
Yellow, for harvest wheat bundled in sheaves.
Orange is for glossy pumpkins and gourds, the fruits of the fields, thanks to the Lord.
Purple is for all the love that surrounds us, with those so dear to our heart close around us.
Green is for gratitude we are expressing ...
Brown, for our cornucopia of blessings!
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Candied Sweet Potatoes:
2 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 c. White Karo Syrup
1 c. Steens Cane Syrup
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 c. Water
1 stick Margarine
3 - 4 lbs. Sweet Potatoes (peeled and cut into 2" chunks)

In a 1 to 1 1/2 gallon pot put the first 7 ingredients and simmer till it starts to get thick. Add the potatoes and cook until they are tender. DO NOT LET IT BOIL. Keep at a slow simmer.
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Albert Camus:
Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.
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Pregnant Turkey Story:
One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's house for the traditional feast.

Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to play a trick.

She told my sister that she needed something from the store.

When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven, removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen,and inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey.

She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven

When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing. When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird.

With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed,

"Patricia, you've cooked a pregnant bird!" At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry.

It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!

Yep..................SHE'S BLONDE!
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Gathering Leaves:
Spades take up leaves
No better than spoons,
And bags full of leaves
Are light as balloons.

I make a great noise
Of rustling all day
Like rabbit and deer
Running away.

But the mountains I raise
Elude my embrace,
Flowing over my arms
And into my face.

I may load and unload
Again and again
Till I fill the whole shed,
And what have I then?

Next to nothing for weight,
And since they grew duller
From contact with earth,
Next to nothing for color.

Next to nothing for use.
But a crop is a crop,
And who's to say where
The harvest shall stop?

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Thanksgiving is....:
Thanksgiving is a
time of gratitude to God,
our Creator and Provider,
whose guidance and care go before us...
and whose love
is with us forever.

Thanksgiving is a time
to reflect on the changes,
to remember that we, too,
grow and change
from one season of life to another.

Thanksgiving is a time
of changing seasons,
when leaves turn golden
in Autumn's wake
and apples are crisp
in the first chill breezes of fall.

Let us remember the true meaning
of Thanksgiving.
As we see the beauty
of Autumn, let us acknowledge
the many blessings
which are ours...
let us think of our families
and friends..
and let us give thanks in our hearts.
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Thanksgiving:
Gettin' together to smile an' rejoice,
An' eatin' an' laughin' with folks of your choice;
An' kissin' the girls an' declarin' that they
Are growin' more beautiful day after day;
Chattin' an' braggin' a bit with the men,
Buildin' the old family circle again;
Livin' the wholesome an' old-fashioned cheer,
Just for awhile at the end of the year.

Greetings fly fast as we crowd through the door
And under the old roof we gather once more
Just as we did when the youngsters were small;
Mother's a little bit grayer, that's all.
Father's a little bit older, but still
Ready to romp an' to laugh with a will.
Here we are back at the table again
Tellin' our stories as women an' men.

Bowed are our heads for a moment in prayer;
Oh, but we're grateful an' glad to be there.
Home from the east land an' home from the west,
Home with the folks that are dearest an' best.
Out of the sham of the cities afar
We've come for a time to be just what we are.
Here we can talk of ourselves an' be frank,
Forgettin' position an' station an' rank.

Give me the end of the year an' its fun
When most of the plannin' an' toilin' is done;
Bring all the wanderers home to the nest,
Let me sit down with the ones I love best,
Hear the old voices still ringin' with song,
See the old faces unblemished by wrong,
See the old table with all of its chairs
An' I'll put soul in my Thanksgivin' prayers.
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Now Thank We All our God:
Based on Ecclesiasticus 50:22-24 by Martin Rinkart (1586-1649)
Translated by Catherine Winkworth (1827-1878)
Music: Johann Crüger (1598-1662) Harmony by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

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 blessed peace to cheer us;
And keep us still in 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.
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Words: James Montgomery, 1825, alt. Music: St. Agnes, John B. Dykes, 1866:
Shepherd of souls, refresh and bless
Thy chosen pilgrim flock
With manna in the wilderness,
With water from the rock.

We would not live by bread alone,
But by Thy Word of grace,
In strength of which we travel on
To our abiding place.

Be known to us in breaking bread,
But do not then depart;
Savior, abide with us, and spread
Thy table in our heart.

Lord, sup with us in love divine;
Thy body and Thy blood,
That living bread, that heav’nly wine,
Be our immortal food.
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