My Thanksgiving Prayer

I'll have about 20 people at my house for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow evening, so need to come up with "the blessing" between now and then. I don't claim to be particularly good at this sort of thing, but people have come to expect it from me at these big gatherings. Here are my thoughts this year...

Dear Lord, we thank you for the blessings you've given us this past year: Good health, loving families, reliable friendships, and talents that enable us to have careers that support all of the above. We especially thank you, Lord, for bringing us Mr. and Mrs. Bond all the way from Utah to be with us at this Thanksgiving dinner. We're honored by their presence here and we wish them a happy visit this week. Above all, Lord, we thank you for placing us here, in the greatest country ever forged, at a pivotal time in history where we have the chance to do so much good in the world. We are unworthy of these gifts but with your help we will make the most of them all.

Lord, we ask you to please bless this house and this feast today, and to bless our time together and everyone here. We also ask you, Lord, for a special blessing for our soldiers in the Middle East and their families here in this country who want them to come home safely and soon. Grant them all peace and strength and keep them safe.

Finally, Lord, we ask you to please send your grace down upon those poor souls throughout the world who struggle to survive in difficult conditions, who don't have nearly what we are so fortunate to have in this country. Give them strength and send them help.

We ask this, Lord, in the name of Jesus Christ, your son. Amen.