Thankfully

Feel so thankful for so much today. I'm especially thankful to all my friends, especially bloggers, many of whom I barely knew a year ago -- that alone seems impossible.

In church this Sunday we sang this hymn which I love:

We plow the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land,
But it is fed and watered by God’s almighty hand;
He sends the snow in winter, the warmth to swell the grain,
The breezes and the sunshine, and soft refreshing rain.

All good gifts around us
Are sent from heaven above,
Then thank the Lord, O thank the Lord
For all His love.

He only is the Maker of all things near and far;
He paints the wayside flower, He lights the evening star;
The winds and waves obey Him, by Him the birds are fed;
Much more to us, His children, He gives our daily bread.

We thank Thee, then, O Father, for all things bright and good,
The seed time and the harvest, our life, our health, and food;
No gifts have we to offer, for all Thy love imparts,
But that which Thou desirest, our humble, thankful hearts.

I like to know God has a hand in what happens in our lives. I like to yield to God. I like to let God be in control, acknowledge that I am not.

I hope to drive down to Plymouth Rock on Friday with my son. It's not far from where I live. I can't imagine being a Pilgrim mom with her child, arriving on terra firma after a voyage like that, to a BRAND NEW WORLD and all the guts that took.

Speaking of Pilgrims, I'm very thankful my church, Pilgrim UCC Church, passed a resolution this weekend that we are an "Open and Affirming" church. Some of the congregation found this hard to understand -- why we need to let gay and lesbian Christians know they are safe and welcome with us -- in writing. It brought on quite a big debate. I'm so thankful for everyone feeling free to voice their opinions. Amazing to think the original Pilgrims left England because their religious freedom was threatened. They risked life and limb for that.