All is safely gathered in

Somehow I’ve missed it all these years, but this year I finally caught what a popular “Thanksgiving” hymn is talking about . . .
Come, ye thankful people, come
Raise the song of harvest home
All is safely gathered in
Ere the winter storms begin

We have a lot to be thankful for as always, but this year I had reason to be thankful for the people in my life. Family, of course, some of whom we were able to see or phone this weekend. Also friends, and even Christians we don’t know that well who are very generous. We got a special and unexpected gift from one friend this weekend. And we’ve had a hundred reasons to be thankful for various people as we’ve prepared to (possibly!) go to Dallas in November – people who’ve helped us with a way down there, who’ve helped us prepare, and people at CAM at the other end who have done thier best to fit into what we need, above and beyond what we’ve asked for.

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come is not primarily about crops and fields, but about people. It’s about God’s love for all of us, His transforming power in us and His promise to someday “gather us in” all together to His home. Today I praise the Lord for His people, and so for what He’s doing and will do in all of us!

There, forever purified
In Thy presence to abide
Come, with all Thine angels come
Raise the glorious harvest home!