Gratitude Attitude

Maybe the best part about fall is the harvest. This golden season makes me happy. The trees seem more beautiful than ever this year. I'm thankful for a hundred little things. One song from a cassette tape in my childhood recently played in my memory. I have no idea who wrote it or where to find it again. But I love the words:

Having a gratitude attitude

shows appreciation.

So with a gratitude attitude

win in every situation.

My kids often hear me say, “Will you be grateful or greedy?” and then they groan and roll their eyes. For example, if I offer my daughter five M&M's, will she choose to say thanks, or to negotiate for more? In the case of M&M's, I totally understand. But how often do we do that in life? Do I accept the gifts I've been given with a gracious heart, or do I consistently want more? What is enough? (I'll save the essay on "enough" for another day.)

A few weeks ago, the Tabernacle Choir sang Come Ye Thankful People Come. We memorized that as kids, and sang it once at a huge family gathering. But verse three and four are new and interesting to me, since I’ve only heard them a few times.

Text: Henry Alford (1810-1871),

1. 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.

2. 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 harvest, grant that we

Wholesome grain and pure may be.

3. For the Lord our God shall come,
And shall take the harvest home;
From His field shall in that day
All offences purge away,
Giving angels charge at last
In the fire the tares to cast;
But the fruitful ears to store
In the garner evermore.

4. Even so Lord, quickly come
To Thy final harvest home.
Gather now Thy people in,
Free from sorrow, free from sin.
There forever purified,
In thy presense we’ll abide
Come with all thy angels come,
Raise the glorious harvest home!

On Tuesday I bought these apples from my favorite local orchard. They taste amazing, and I love seeing the wild yeast on the apple peel. I love that they went straight from the tree to the box, without spending weeks on a truck or in a grocery store. They represent an abundant harvest, even if my apple tree took the year off. I’m grateful for the farmers who grew them, who took the time to prune their trees early in the spring, and then tended to them all summer long. I’m thankful for the sunshine, and rain and good soil, for the Lord above who gives so generously.

Comments

Kori COctober 27, 2017 at 7:39 AM
I love your new blog! Your words and thoughts have always brought be a lot of peace. Thanks for sharing your sweet and brilliant self!!
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