I treasure this Psalm of Thankfulness as it is a part of my faith heritage. These carefully chosen words express the heart of an artist, my paternal grandmother, Lucile Wilson Parsell. Since my grandfather was incapacitated with Parkinson’s Disease when my dad was only thirteen, she supported their family thereafter. Thankfully, “Nana” was a graduate of Oberlin College and certified to teach. Once a teacher, always a teacher! Whenever we walked together, Nana would teach me the names of the numerous trees and flowers that grow in Southern California. She did appreciate the intricacies of God’s creation. In the second half of this life, she took up oil painting. Of course, the most frequent subject of Nana’s paintings was flowers! How thankful I am to have inherited two of her paintings and this expression of her thankfulness and faith in our Creator.
A PSALM OF THANKFULNESS
Oh Lord, that blesses us with the beauty
Of early morning.
Clear sunlit skies and singing birds,
Scented flowers rich with rainbow colors,
Open thou mine eyes, let me see, feel and hear the pulse
Of thy divine creation.
Be thou with me in the soft twilight of loveliness
That comes at dusk. Let me hear the sleepy
Calls of murmuring life when rest comes
To a weary world.
May I hear with my heart the throb of a rising moon
And the brilliance of thy scintillating stars.
Let me rejoice and be glad for the myriad blessings
Of dawn and dusk.
Give me thy blessings Lord, that I may feel
Night’s cool balm and it enclosing darkness
Shutting out all save the coziness of home and loved ones
By my fireside.
Be thou with me that my blessings uncounted
Are fully savored and that I in thankfulness
And appreciation may be worthy,
Of thy wondrous love.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND YOURS!
