My Year of Thanksgiving ~

25 May -31 May       This week brought many gifts for which I'm thankful - I do so enjoy sunshine flooding through the big window in my living-room (and for the heavenly sunshine that fills my heart!); for the carefully "embroidered" story of Joseph my sister lent me, and the clearly presented evidence of God at work behind the scenes to bring good out of terrible things done to him (cf Genesis 37, 39-50); for brown-speckled bananas on my counter; for all the trustworthy counsel found in the Bible; for all the beauty in the world around me; for monthly pancakes shared with family - good times!  I give thanks, too, for my neighbor's invitation to go to her cabin this afternoon, I've been eager to see the place; for strength to serve my community as a volunteer at ETC., a thrift-store that helps support the After School Kids program; for the trip up Slate Creek to a delightful little cabin - and very good company; for the warm welcome of another friend when we stopped for a closer look at her "barn-quilt"; for strength sufficient for the tasks of this day; that the rain held off until we returned from our drive upriver as far as French Creek; for all the delights that met our eyes - chukkar, a merganser, butterflies, flowers, and trees wearing their new spring foliage - things our Creator made to bring joy to our hearts; for sunny mornings following rainy days; for traveling mercies as we went to McCall and back; for the sight of that gloriously speckled wee calf in the midst of a herd of cattle grazing in a green meadow; for the mechanical servants in my house; for the safe arrival of the little tomato plants after their long journey ( from Springfield, OR via Memphis, TN and Boise to Riggins(;for Sabbath hymns and songs of praise - an apt offering for time with the Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5); for Sabbath, this weekly reminder that our God is both Creator of earth and all its beauty (Genesis 2:2,3; Exodus 20:11) and Redeemer, Deliverer (Deuteronomy 5:15).