Thanksgiving Poems

Blessed Thanksgiving

Joy bell ringing

Banjo singing

Voices mingling

Noses tingling

Children swinging

Laughter lingering

Bringing thanks to God.

by Julie Dunlap,  11-25-2009

Pauper's Thanksgiving

Banker's loaning

Congress owning

Parents groaning

Children moaning

Grace atoning

by Nathan Dunlap,  11-25-2009

Note:  Three years ago my husband and I had a lot of fun thinking up these rhymes on Thanksgiving morning by candlelight.  At the time we were living in a rustic cabin at the edge of the woods.  Our bedroom had a picture window that looked out at treetops, since the cabin is built on a slope and our room was upstairs.  The moonlight shone brightly into our room as well.  I recall this particular morning laughing as we were thinking up these poems in the early hours.  There is so much to be thankful for in this life, and I am thankful for poetry and laughter, music and mountains, my husband and his faithfulness, children and family, and most of all I give thanks to God for His abundant grace and loving-kindness!!! I encourage you to thank God for all the good you know in this life, for all good gifts come from the Lord.

Beautiful Bride

Christ is the Head;

His Church is the bride.

As Christ is Glorious 

and full of Splendor,

So also His Church

will be Glorious,

a spotless bride.

He washes us with the Holy Waters of Baptism.

He nourishes us with His own Body and Blood,

Broken and spilled out in passionate love for His bride.

He ordains leaders: Bishops, Priests, and Deacons

to guide and be His representatives on earth.

He absolves our sins, wiping them clean, as we repent 

of our failures to do God's Holy Will. 

He confirms our faith by the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

He blesses our marriage bonds of faithful love.

He ministers to us with compassion

when we are sick or dying.

Thank You, Lord, for Thy Passionate Love

demonstrated in the Incarnation of the Son of God made Son of Man.

Thank You, Lord, for Thy abundant, generous Grace

available to all who humbly accept our marred humanity,

and embrace Thy Divine Touch.

Thank You, Lord, for establishing and building 

Thy Holy Church -

Thy Beloved Bride.

by Julie Dunlap   10-2-2012

Note: Today is All Saints Day, a day to remember the glorious cloud of witnesses that have proceeded us to the heavenly realms.  I wrote down these thoughts after reading several sections from The King's Highway by George D. Carleton.  Christ's enduring and endearing love for His bride, His Holy Church, is hard to fathom, and it is with grateful hearts that we acknowledge this love.  He takes us as unworthy sinners, and by this ardent love  makes His own to be of worth.