13-19 October: During the last week, I was thankful that God's Word calls us to unity in Him, through the Spirit, and NOT uniformity - a much different idea; thankful for the "bright blue skies" overhead earlier this week - makes the wintery gray much more bearable for me; thankful for this beautiful promise from Jeremiah 31:11: "I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for" (Message); thankful for the machines that make doing my laundry such a simple thing - and bless all those who must haul water (or clothes TO the water) to get the task done; thankful for lists - such a help in staying focused on the task at hand; thankful for the straight counsel from Romans 12:2: "Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to Him and what is perfect" (Easy to Read Version); thankful to know that "helping" is not always helpful - and seeking to recognize the times it has become enabling; thankful for the times when help promotes personal growth; thankful to join in the words of praise found in 2 Samuel 7:22 where they are recorded: “How great you are, O Sovereign Lord! There is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!" (New Life Translation); thankful to be able to "reach out and touch someone" - touch you! - from my keyboard and feel the flow of love returning with the individual responses; thankful for the friendships I've been given from places around the world - what a privilege! I was thankful for this prayer shared in Psalm 19:12-14 (and which I echo): "Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar." (Message); thankful for sunlight - peeking through the clouds and the sunlight the Savior provide within my heart; thankful for God's Spirit who sees our needs and ". . . decides which gifts to give to each of us" (1 Corinthians 12:11); thankful for this precious message from Isaiah 61:10: "I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, my soul will exult in my God; for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness . . . ." (Amplified Bible); thankful for absolute confidence that comes as we put our trust in our loving Father; thankful that He knows our every trial and its solution as we give our cares to Him; thankful for the precious words written by the prophet, Jeremiah: "'... I know the thoughts that I think toward you', saith the Lord, 'thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.'" (Jeremiah 29:11-13; King James Bible); thankful for the gift of another Sabbath, the day God chose as His own - "the Sabbath of the Lord" - and the day I choose, as well. How about you? I was thankful for the colors of autumn; and thankful for this counsel (and thankful for how "heart's desires" CHANGE as WE change!) from Psalm 37:4-5 where we read: "Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart’s desire. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him and He will act." (New American Bible, Revised Edition).
