A Thanksgiving Prayer and Promise

(Sixty years ago this Thanksgiving, I wrote the following Thanksgiving prayer and promise to my fiancé, Ellen. It is as true today as then, and I thought it might be time to share it with you all.)

Prayer:

        O Thank You, Lord, for every gift,
	     That life affords to me;
	With voice to Thee my prayer I lift,
	     To show my thanks to Thee.

	I thank You for the gift of life,			
	     For health and strength and breath;
	For hope in loss, and strength in strife,
	     For victory over death.

	I thank You, Lord, for Mom and Dad—
             They’ve been so good to me;
	For when I was but just a lad,
             They pointed me to Thee.

	And, thank You for a pastor true,
	     Who preached the Word of God;
	Who always said, “What e’re you do,
             Only believe, trust God!”

	And for salvation, full and free,
             With tongue I cannot say,
	The joy it is to blood-bought be,
	     With sins all washed away.

	And God, as long as I can pray,
	     I’ll say a prayer each night.
	To thank You for that blessed day,
	     My love came to my sight.

       I’ll love her, Lord, I’ll love her true,
           ‘Til Thou shalt call us home;
       And from the time I say “I do,”
            She’ll never be alone.		 

       For though the miles may part us some,
            We’ll always love in heart.
      Until our life on earth is done,
           Our love will never part.

Promise:  

        “My Love, on this Thanksgiving Day,
              I pause to thank our Lord;
	 For all the love you’ve shown my way,
              In smile, in deed, in word.

	 And I shall love you, Ellen, Dear,
              With body, mind and soul;
	 On every day of every year,
              To love you is my goal.

	 And, if you’ll only want my love,
	      I’ll give it all to you;
	 I’ll love you like a precious dove,
              I’ll love you, ever true!

Tony Slutz       

Thanksgiving Day, 1964