My Year of Thanksgiving ~

I've been filled with gratitude this past week for the houseplants that mostly survived exposure to smoke; for Stefanie's gift of time and energy getting the clean-up started; to see greener grass from my windows; for mercy - that our heavenly Father ". . . has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities" Psalm 103:10; for His grace - the complement of His mercy in not giving me what I rightly deserve - grace gives me all that I do not deserve; for the assurance in 2 Corinthians 5:21". . . He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  Giving thanks, too, for the hours of rain; for the forecasts of sunny days soon to come; for my shower now being free of smoke-soil and odor; for suggestions to help remove smoke odors; for resources to cover costs; for sunny weather - blue skies always make me feel more cheerful; for daffodil buds and their message of hope and good cheer; for the beautiful promises of what God wants to do in my life; for each breath; for the little patch of purple in the neighbor's yard where violets are already blooming (and the giant crocus - big as baseballs - and daffodils in full bloom in another neighbor's yard); for a clean kitchen and diminished odor of smoke; for Stacy's offer of help today; for Sabbath's early morning promise of sunlight soon to creep into our deep canyon; for the precious book on gardening for birds my sister found for me (which kept me company into the wee hours last night when sleep just wouldn't come); for the lovely thrill of anticipation - going to G'ville this morning to study and worship with dear sisters and brothers - Hallelujah!