A litany of thanks

Today we give thanks for the many things that have blessed us. We do so understanding that not all have received all of these gifts; that each of us has reasons to be thankful as well as needs as yet unrealized. In this world of haves and have-nots we give thanks not by way of comparing ourselves, boasting, or demonstrating our superiority; instead we do so to remind ourselves of God from whom all blessings flow. That one who appears to have little to be thankful for, like the widow with her small offering, may be comparably rich in all that God values. That everything we have is a gift from God, so with praise in our hearts and thanks on our lips, we give thanks to you, O God...

For the life we have been given, for air to breathe and water to drink, for food and family, shelter, a place to sleep at night, and loved ones to share it with. For those who have died--for the memories we cherish--for the temporary and the everlasting. For safety and freedoms. For the sacrifices of those who have gone before and those who still live in our midst. For our military, for our veterans, for our peace-seekers, for our judges and prosecutors and lawyers. For all those who earnestly seek the good of all people.
We give thanks to you, O God...

For the harvest. For soil and fertilizer. For humus. For earthworms and nitrogen. For the wind and the rain, the sun and the snow. For hired hands. For mechanics. For family businesses. For combines and tractors and sprayers and the people who drive them. For the food we eat and the food we share. For organic food; for GMOs. For small-scale farming. For large-scale farming. For livestock and poultry and the gift of animal husbandry. For gardens and lawn mowers. For those who tend to all things living. We give thanks to you, O God...

For the gift of Christ-incarnate. For seeing the face of God in one another. For those who look the same as us and remind us of God's presence in us. For those who look different from us and remind us that God’s face is diverse. For those with whom we agree. For those with whom we disagree. For the freedom to have an opinion. For the freedom to withhold an opinion. For quiet reflection; for loud cheering. For sports teams. For meaning. For perspective. For wins and for losses. For pushing ourselves to become better people. For the assurance that we are enough. We give thanks to you O God...

For the gift of salvation. For grace and for mercy. For forgiveness when we err. For communion. For friends who value honesty and who tell us as it is. For family who does the same. For unconditional love. For a God who became human and ultimately died for us on a cross. For the love of a spouse, a boyfriend or girlfriend; for the love of all friends. For brothers and sisters—blood relatives and those who are adopted and claimed. For those we see often, and those we seldom see any longer. For children and grandchildren. For times when we feel weak and times when we feel strong. We give thanks to you, O God...

For Christ in other people, for strangers who demonstrate love, for random acts of kindness. For technology that makes life easier. For remembering the way work was once done. For medicine, doctors and nurses. For our hospital and nursing home. For teachers and social workers. For our school, for co-ops. For accountants and bankers, highway workers, electricians, farmers and ranchers. For plumbers and cashiers, for homemakers, day care providers, and all parents. For garbage haulers. For police officers, highway patrol, sheriffs and deputies. For border patrol. For firemen and government workers. For mayors, senators, council members, representatives, governors, and presidents. For all those who do good work, who value their occupation and their vocation. We give thanks to you, O God...

For the gift of music. For the gift of worship. For the gift of youth. For the gift of the elderly. For the gift of parents and baptismal sponsors. For the gift of pastors. For the gift of lay staff. For the gift of Sam and Heather and Karen and Frank. For church council members. For Renee and Brian. For Karen. For all choir members and soloists. For sound board and video workers. For altar guild. For women's groups. For M.O.P.S. For quilters. For A.A. For Cornerstone Food Pantry. For Wednesday School teachers. For Confirmation students, facilitators, and parents. For property committee. For personnel. For all those active in the church in their own way. We give thanks to you, O God. We give thanks to you, O God…