Give Thanks • Music for a Christ-Centered Thanksgiving

November is upon us again! And if you have gotten to know my family & I through this little blog over the years, you know that Thanksgiving is a big deal to us. For years it has always frustrated me that Halloween and Christmas have started to encroach upon each other so much that Thanksgiving is often an after thought-- a blip in the radar between two huge commercial holidays.

Now, as much as I love Christmas music, for a long time I have been searching out music that would help my kids and I focus on our blessings and all that we have to be grateful for during this time of year. For the past couple of years I have created playlists that we have listened to throughout the month, and it has been an amazing addition to our season of gratitude. Christmas music will be played in full force here in our home-- but starting the day after Thanksgiving.

This year I have more than doubled the size of the playlist, expanding it from a little over 40 tracks to now more than 80. That adds up to over five hours worth of music!

It goes without saying that taste in music is entirely subjective, but I hope that some of these songs will appeal to you and your family as well. The playlist includes a mix of indie, folk, and contemporary Christian music that is especially appropriate for this time of year. Some songs speak directly of giving thanks and gratitude, some are traditional folk songs associated with this time of year, some are bluegrass hymns with a rustic nature that just seems to suit the season, and others are simply more general in their praise of God and all the blessings He freely bestows to His children.  Collectively, all of them have helped our family keep the focus in our home on giving thanks at this special time of year.

(If you are reading this post on an RSS feed reader, please be aware that there is a widget link to my Spotify playlist on my site which will allow you to listen to the entire playlist for free. You can also search Spotify for the playlist "give thanks.")

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If you don't want to create a Spotify account, here is a list of the tracks (via affiliate links) on my playlist if you are curious:

Simple Gifts - Steven Sharp Nelson

Come On - Rend Collective Experiment

This is the Day - Rachel Scott

For the Beauty of the Earth - Steve & Danny Thompson

My Father's World - Jadon Lavik

The Harvester - Brandon Heath

Down to the River to Pray - Alison Krauss

Anchored in Love - Jenny & Tyler

Come Ye Thankful People Come - Leigh Nash

Starry Night (Acoustic Version) - Chris August

How Great Thou Art - Lindsey Kane

Come Thou Fount - Audrey Assad

Indescribable - Chris Tomlin

Live Out Loud (re:created version) - Steven Curtis Chapman

I Will Give Thanks - Josh Blakesley

Thanksgiving - George Winston

Pilgrim Go! - Cherie Call

Love Love Love - Daniel Renstrom

Count Your Blessings - The Lower Lights

Glory Bound - The Wailin' Jennys

Take My Hand (Analog Sessions Version) - Shawn McDonald

God of Wonders - By the Tree

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness - Keith & Kristyn Getty

Hallelujah God is Near (Acoustic Version) - Robbie Seay Band

How He Loves (Acoustic Version) - David Crowder Band

Yes, God is Good - High Street Hymns ft. Robb Esperat

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Jon Meyer

How Could I Ever Say Thank You - Kathryn Scott

Psalm 118 - Shane & Shane

Yours Forever - Dara Maclean

Thank You - JJ Heller

Late November - Ryan Hubbell

Lead, Kindly Light - The Lower Lights

Blessed Be Your Name (Acoustic Version) - Matt Redman

Free to be Me (Dented Fender Sessions Version) - Francesca Battistelli

Hallelujah (Acoustic Version) - Bethany Dillon

Gratitude - Nichole Nordeman

We Gather Together - Tim Brace

How Can I Keep From Singing (Acoustic Version) - Chris Tomlin

Good to Me - Audrey Assad

10,000 Reasons - Rend Collective Experiment

From This Valley - The Civil Wars

A Mighty Fortress - Dave Hunt

It Is Well - The Ember Days

Flood Waters - Josh Garrels

Raise My Voice (Acoustic Version) - Robbie Seay Band

Blessings - Laura Story

Behind the Beauty - Josh Wilson

God of Our Fathers - Twila Paris

Home - The Piano Guys

Simple Gifts - Jewel

Come, Ye Children of the Lord - The Lower Lights

I'll Fly Away - Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss

All Creatures of our God and King - High Street Hymns

The Earth is Yours - Gungor

We Give Thanks - Caedmon's Call

One Thing Remains - Bethel Music ft. Brian Johnson

We Thank Thee, O God for a Prophet - The Lower Lights

Oh How I Need You - All Sons & Daughters

Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow) - Jadon Lavik

Long Walk Home - The City Harmonic

Follow You - Leeland ft. Brandon Heath

We Fall Down - Shane Everett

Miracle of the Moment (Acoustic Version) - Steven Curtis Chapman

For Love of You - Audrey Assad

Now Thank We All Our God - Craig Duncan

Long Time Traveller - The Wailin' Jennys

Psalm 46 - Jenny & Tyler

Captivated (Analog Sessions Version) - Shawn McDonald

Enough (Acoustic Version) - Chris Tomlin

Jesus, What a Friend for Sinners - Matthew Smith

Your Love (Acoustic Version) - Brandon Heath

Build Your Kingdom Here - Rend Collective Experiment

Doxology - Michael Gungor

The Lord's Prayer - Shane & Shane

Fire By Night - Josh Garrels

Divine Romance - Phil Wickham

It Is Well With My Soul - Chris Rice

Homeward Bound - Ashlee Cook

My Heavenly Father Loves Me - Paul Cardall

What a Wonderful World - Stacey Kent

Amazing Grace - Jadon Lavik

Count Your Blessings - Ali Matthews

New World - Steven Sharp Nelson

Let this list stand as a starting point for you to create a Thanksgiving playlist of your own!

May God's blessings be with you and your loved ones this holiday season & always.

♥

 

Give Thanks • A Thanksgiving Playlist

***Update: For the latest Thanksgiving playlist, please visit this link!*** :)

Last year I started a new tradition in our home leading up to Thanksgiving. If you know me well, then you also know that I am a music fanatic. In fact, it would be a rare moment indeed if you stopped by during the day and did not find some sort of music playing the background as I went about my daily work here in the home. So as Thanksgiving approached last November, I decided I was going to create my own soundtrack for the holiday.

As much as I love Christmas music, I wanted something that would help my kids and I focus on our blessings and all that we have to be grateful for during this time of year. I've always found it a little puzzling that we have such an archive of music celebrating Christmas (with good reason), but didn't have the same for some of our other important holidays.

Last November I wrote a post with some links to download music I had put together on a CD. As the months have gone by I have since added much to that playlist. I also don't really use CD's much anymore. Lately I have been using the music app Spotify for nearly all of my daily listening. While they have a free version with commercials that will play on your computer, I finally decided to splurge and pay for the premium version without commercials that will play on all of my mobile devices pretty much anywhere without any commercials whatsoever. For just under ten dollars a month, it was much cheaper than my previous music collecting habit. So if you are like me, you might want to check it out. Our family has really enjoyed having access to such an enormous library of music. (And no, no one is paying me to say that. Just a free public service annoucement, ha.)

Since I have added so many new tracks to the playlist this year, I really don't have time to go through and link each new song to the iTunes or Amazon music store. (I have a four-month-old and two-year-old twins!) But you can scroll through my playlist below and see what suits your fancy if you are interested.

The playlist includes contemporary music that is especially appropriate for this time of year. Some songs speak directly of giving thanks and gratitude, some are traditional folk songs associated with this time of year, some are bluegrass hymns with a rustic nature that just seems to suit the season, and others are simply more general in their praise of God and all the blessings He freely bestows to His children.  Collectively, all of them have helped our family keep the focus in our home on giving thanks at this special time of year.


I have been working on creating a more traditional/classical Thanksgiving playlist as well, but haven't had the time to refine it the way that I would like. If I have the chance I will try and do so and post it later on this month. In the meantime, we have enjoyed listening to the following album put out by Brigham Young University, The Pilgrim's Journey Home.


Best wishes for a spirit of gratitude in your home this year and always!

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If you don't want to create a Spotify account, here is a list of the tracks on my playlist if you are curious:

1. Simple Gifts - Steven Curtis Chapman

2. This is the Day -  Rachel Scott

3. For the Beauty of the Earth - Steve & Danny Thompson

4. My Father's World - Jadon Lavik

5. The Harvester - Brandon Heath

6. Down to the River to Pray - Alison Krauss

7. Come Ye Thankful People Come - Leigh Nash

8. Starry Night (Acoustic Version) - Chris August

9. How Great Thou Art - Lindsey Kane

10. Indescribable - Chris Tomlin

11. I Will Give Thanks - Josh Blakesley

12. A Grateful Heart - Kevin Toney

13. Pilgrim Go! - Cherie Call

14. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Jon Meyer

15. How Could I Ever Say Thank You - Kathryn Scott

16. Psalm 118 - Shane & Shane

17. Yours Forever - Dara Maclean

18. Blessed Be Your Name (Acoustic Version) - Matt Redman

19. Hallelujah (Acoustic Version) - Bethany Dillon

20. Gratitude - Nichole Nordeman

21. We Gather Together - Tim Brace

22. How Can I Keep From Singing (Acoustic Version) - Chris Tomlin

23. From This Valley - The Civil Wars

24. Blessings - Laura Story

25. Behind the Beauty - Josh Wilson

26. Simple Gifts - Jewel

27. I'll Fly Away - Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss

28. All Creatures of our God and King - Justin Unger

29. The Earth is Yours - Gungor

30. We Give Thanks - Caedmon's Call

31. Follow You - Leeland ft. Brandon Heath

32. Miracle of the Moment (Acoustic Version) - Steven Curtis Chapman

33. Now Thank We All Our God - Craig Duncan

34. Long Time Traveller - The Wailin' Jennys

35. The Lord's Prayer - Shane & Shane

36. Homeward Bound - Ashlee Cook

37. My Heavenly Father Loves Me - Paul Cardall

38. What a Wonderful World - Stacey Kent

39. Amazing Grace - Jadon Lavik

40. Count Your Blessings - Ali Matthews

41. New World - Steven Sharp Nelson

Feel free to use this as a starting point for creating a soundtrack of your own!

♥

Soundtrack of Gratitude

Now I must confess, I absolutely love Christmas music.

Although I normally refrain from playing it before Thanksgiving, I will freely admit that there have been times when I have listened to my favorites during the "off season."  But particularly since I have had children, I have come to notice that when Christmas music is playing in the early weeks of November, the focus tends to shift ever so tangibly to Christmas instead of the holiday that is actually approaching. 

So this year, I decided that I was going to try and find some Thanksgiving music to listen to through these next few weeks.  And you know what?  I found some great tracks.

I thought I'd share a playlist I created of some great contemporary songs that are especially appropriate for Thanksgiving.  Some speak directly of giving thanks and gratitude, some are traditional folk songs associated with this time of year, and others are simply more general in their praise of God and all the blessings He freely bestows to His children.  All of them have helped me keep the focus in our home on giving thanks at this special time of year.

• • •

A Soundtrack of Gratitude (Contemporary Version)

1.  Simple Gifts - Steven Sharp Nelson

2.  This is the Day - Rachel Scott

3.  For the Beauty of the Earth - Steve & Danny Thompson

4.  My Father's World - Jadon Lavik

5.  How Great Thou Art - Lindsey Kane

6.  Praise to the Lord, The Almighty - Jon Meyer

7.  How Could I Ever Say Thank You - Kathryn Scott

8.  Psalm 118 - Shane & Shane

9.  Hallelujah (Acoustic Version) - Bethany Dillon

10.  You Raise Me Up - Aled Jones

11. Gratitude - Nichole Nordeman

12.  How Can I Keep From Singing? (Acoustic Version) - Chris Tomlin

13.  Simple Gifts - Jewel

14.  All Creatures of Our God and King - Justin Unger

15.  Homeward Bound - Ashlee Cook

16.  What a Wonderful World - Stacey Kent

17.  Amazing Grace - Jadon Lavik

18.  Count Your Blessings - Ali Matthews

I hope you enjoy this playlist as much as our family has!  I'm also working on fine tuning a more traditional/classical playlist for Thanksgiving as well.  I'll try and post it in the coming days.

Best wishes for a season of gratitude!

Thanksgiving

Things to be thankful for:

1. a home filled with love & warmth
2. healthy, happy children
3. a refuge in rural Paradise
4. roasted turkey in the oven
5. laying hens in the pasture
6. family football on the lawn (JJ, thanks for picking me when Taylor didn't!)
7. a little gray sheep
8. watching Bryson lope the horses (few things sexier...)
9. young love blossoming
10. pie: apple, pumpkin, cherry, lemon meringue, &
    Georgia pecan (thanks to our southern gentleman)
11. conquering city-girl fears & learning to ride
12. laughter and acceptance
13. a unity of faith
14. the blessings of an abundance
15. the ease of feeling completely at home

For that which we have received,

Let us be truly grateful.