This was a song I helped create for a Thanksgiving Day exercise. I believe we were going to Faith Baptist Church of Hampton, Iowa at the time. This was an activity we did as a family. I guess because I played the piano it seemed logical.
It has been many years since I have seen the words to this and my copy is tattered and worn. To the best of my knowledge and as far as I know, there are no other copies of this song.
While it is hard to remember back to 1975 when this was created, I believe my mom helped me do this with limited assistance from others in my family. My mom is no longer living, so there is no way to check for sure.
At the top of the page is written, "tune to Onward Christian Soldiers." I'm going to write the words here, and please feel free to use it if you want. Just give me (Don Shetterly) credit for the words. Most likely it was around 1975 when it was created.
Thankful
Dear Lord, we love you every day.
We're thankful always too,
We praise you for your blessings,
And lift our hearts to you.
You give us hope and cheer our hearts and
you hear our prayers too.
Help us, Lord, to do your will and
keep us ever true.
Chorus
Now we thank you for our friends, for fellowship so sweet,
keep us ever faithful and make our lives complete.
(c) 1975 by Don Shetterly, Barb Shetterly
May you be thankful in whatever form that takes for you on this Thanksgiving Day. I hope that your thankfulness will extend beyond this day and become a daily experience. Be not only thankful but let your heart give the blessings you have to those who need a little help.
Blog Post And Images (c) November 23, 2017, by Don Shetterly
Permission is required in writing before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form.
You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.
This video is one that I created on May 25, 2017. Normally I don't show my song creation process on camera because it is just too difficult to create and not get nervous about being recorded. However, this song is an exception.
After the week I had, seeing hate front and center, I almost gave up on humanity and said, "I don't want another thing to do with anyone." Call me a drama queen if you want, it doesn't really matter at this point because I'm still livid over what took place.
Too many out there preach love and acceptance and tolerance, but it stops at the point when someone else does not hold the same view. I don't care which side of an issue someone is on, it happens from both ends. I'm so tired of this behavior. It is not what humans are. It is not what our civilization is about in my view.
If I post certain topics, people get all up in arms. Some just blow me away, because instead of seeing how it applies in their life, it is like - "HOW DARE YOU POST THIS"! I've seen this in full display this week (well at least when I am writing this).
I try to learn from all people. Yes, some irritate the daylights out of me more than others, but I try to learn. I try to see what it is in them that I cannot stand or I have difficulty hearing. Some things are just plain hateful and evil. Some give no value to humanity.
I wish I had all the answers. I wish I understood why people can preach love, and hate others at the same time. It makes no sense to me.
I wish I understood why some preach tolerance, but yet hate anyone that does not agree with them. Do we all have to walk to the same drum? Do we all have to think alike, talk alike, and believe alike? Can we not bring what we have to the table and together enhance all of our lives more?
I watch no TV news. I read very few news articles. I try to avoid most of the hot and heated discussions, because they offer nothing good for life in my view. They are just a bunch of opinionated people screaming. I'm sorry, but if no one is really listening, how is the screaming going to help?
We're all standing opposed to one another and if we continue this, our civilization will not make it. Our planet will not endure. Yes, there are things that make your blood boil, but if love and tolerance are your ideals in life, then engage those. Don't engage the hate. Don't spread the hate. Don't be part of the hate.
The fear is so great right now that no one is seeing with a rational, consciously connected mind. We see through the eyes of fear and we react with fear. If not, we go to the default of numbness.
There needs to be balance. It does not start with our leaders. It starts with each one of us individually. We are the collective civilization. We can practice love and tolerance for others, not just make it a mantra we hold high.
The song in this video is my conversation with music about how "I Don't Understand Hate". It seems confusing to me. It seems less than human. I don't get the insults or the attitude of "my way or the highway". I don't get how we cannot even come together as human beings and beings of light with a soul that is pure, but we can stand opposed to anyone that thinks differently than we do.
May our souls find awareness and consciousness. May we expel the hate in this world through the actions of love we portray.
Listen to the sounds in this YouTube video of Don Shetterly playing on his piano.
Many years ago, I was not allowed to play this in the Baptist church we attended. Of course, this was one of those very strict Baptist churches that didn't let you go to movies, dances, be in restaurants that served alcohol, or swim with the opposite sex.
At the time, I did not even know this had been a hit song on the radio. I just saw it in one of the church piano chorus books that I played from, and fell in love with it. I'm still not exactly sure how the original recordings of this song went because I have hardly ever heard them performed.
I love the way I play it because this song is one that is begging for someone to just have fun with it, and push the emotional feel of it to the max. So, enjoy the song, "HE".
Oh and the reason I couldn't play it in church was because the song didn't specifically use the word "GOD" in it. Um, hello people - it is all about God.
Anyway, here's my version played in the way I see God, not in the way that the fundamentalists brainwashed me into how I SHOULD see God!
And maybe that is more of the backstory than you wanted to hear. Enjoy the song anyway as I play it on this YouTube video.
One of my good friends, Trevor Marty wrote a song that says so much. He titled it 99% (99 percent). I'm not going to give away the details of it here because you can read his more eloquent version of it on his blog.
It comes from a time where he was part of the protest for the 99% and whatever you think of that, I support those that stand up for what matters. I think his song and lyrics makes excellent points and I'm encouraged by those that show up to the arena as Brene Brown would say.
In the movie, "I Am" by Tom Shadyac the entire premise is about how we can make a difference in a world where greed and power and control have run amuck. There is more to the movie than this. One point the movie makes though is if we all work together, society survives. If we try to accumulate the most, society is doomed to fail.
Please take a moment and check out his blog post and song. He is a very talented singer, song writer, and guitarist. He is extremely insightful and cares deeply about the world he lives in. His name is Trevor Marty.
