Thanksgiving II ~

23-29 August 2015:  This week I've been thankful for the One who ". . .redeems my life from destruction. . . ." (Psalm 103:4) - thinking of the present destruction of plant life, animals wild and domestic, and the human lives lost in the fires over the northwest and the description of the end of the world as we know it in Revelation 20:7-9; for our Sabbath morning message, "Beautiful Abomination", a caution against living a "good" life for the wrong reasons; and for the words of Zechariah 4:6, the antidote and real reason to live a life that is an honor to our Creator; for the new fan/light that has been installed to replace the overhead light in my bedroom; for my D.S.I.L.'s extra effort to locate the stubby Phillips screwdriver I needed last evening - it will be much easier when moving boxes are all unpacked; for the three missing art pieces rediscovered yesterday - my "gone missing" list is shrinking!  I'm thankful that D.D. suffered no harm when she took a tumble in the street this morning; for the sturdy handrails for the indoors stairway (and that they are easier to climb today than they were three weeks ago!); for these words from Isaiah 65:24: ". . . Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear"; for all those firefighters at work in the blazing Pacific Northwest -and other places, too! - in the attempt to preserve people and structures from the blazes; thankful for all the families who wait and pray for the safety of these brave souls; and thankful for a faith that believes God is alive in a world that seems to be falling apart; for the ways our Father cares for His children, all of us, when troubles looms over us; for the plotting of the fires here in the N.W. that gives residents some warning of the approach of a blaze; For this promise from Psalm 91:11: ". . .He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways"; for friends stopping by to visit on their way north; for my sister who hitched a ride with them - bringing eggplant and a spaghetti squash to share; and for the "forever faithful" heavenly Father whose promises never fail - Zephaniah 3:5: "The Lord is righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails. . . ."; for another Sabbath - our Creator's celebration of His work in forming this earth and all things in it; thankful for the affirmations of His care for all His children; for the message of an old Fanny Crosby hymn, "Don't Forget the Sabbath" - how different our world would be if we ALL remembered to "keep" it.