Benjamin William Hastings
Gratitude
[paul.itiCs]:
Words will never suffice
In expressing the appreciation
That flows from this heart
Appreciation for the miracles i bear witness to
& for the ones unbeknownst to me
Like those battles won in our sleep
& that last nights prayer
Was not our last
Are more reasons why You are worthy
Of much more than my tongues can offer
When life began to cave in
In that corner of despair
There your wings embraced this fickle body
God, even in Broken spirits
You are still
In the spirit of binding together
Despite the wasted breath
We’ve expended on complaints
Yet each day leading to this
You willingly chose to renew
With all the hindering boulders
& rocks that we have stumbled over
You have managed to make
Mountain ranges of our past
The fires meant to harm
You have harnessed for our warmth
The rejected Stones became Cornerstones
Closed doors rotated to Spring boards
Delays were really meant to be Protection
& You used Dead-ends as Redirection
So I offer my gratitude
For using the sunset to show me that
Even bad days will soon expire
I offer my gratitude
For allowing the dawning of the morning
To remind me mercies are still renewing
I lavish my gratitude for that same
Safety net called mercy
That catches me when my
Strength cannot endure through the night
For showing me that
If the sky could hold new light
After its darkest night
Then so can i
I offer my gratitude, today, for the little things
Because in days past, they once meant everything
I thank You
For rerouting my committed voyage to destruction
Back towards Your will
I no longer need to know what comes next
I have peace knowing that
Just as You were in the before
Surely You will be in the after
So my gratitude is
Not only for what You’ve done
But especially that which You haven’t
For the prayers met with no answer
Because that in itself is really
Answers to prior prayers
Whether tomorrow begins
Without me or not
— that I don’t belong to yesterday
I am grateful
For each day
& it’s accompanying moments
For this gift called today
I say thank You
And i pray
That if i ever lose my way
Or be stuck at the dead-end of Red seas
Before complaints becomes my language
Remind me of my mother tongue and
Lead me back to gratitude
Where faithfulness is our covenant
And praise is my virtue
[o.l.u.c.h.i]:
Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it's not much
But I've nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
So I throw up my hands
And praise You again and again
'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah
Hallelujah
And I know it's not much
But I've nothing else fit for a King
Except for a heart singing hallelujah
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
So come on, my soul
Oh, don't you get shy on me
Lift up your song
'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord
Oh come on, my soul
Oh, don't you get shy on me
Lift up your song
'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord
Come on, my soul
Oh, don't you get shy on me
Lift up your song
'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs
Get up and praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord
With everything you've got
Praise the Lord
With every part of you
Praise the Lord