Thanksgiving II ~

18-24 October:  This week I have been thankful for the little rain showers that have moistened the early hours; for yummy hash browns and farm-fresh eggs to go with the mango half I'd saved for my breakfast; and for this hope-filled passage from Romans 10:8-10: ". . . “God's message is near you, on your lips and in your heart”—that is, the message of faith that we preach. If you confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from death, you will be saved. For it is by our faith that we are put right with God; it is by our confession that we are saved"; to have enjoyed a visit from the other D.G.D. (that is part of this branch on the family-tree) and her husband; thankful that her hubby came to help Curt install the metal sheets to roof the outbuilding yesterday - an assist much appreciated by all; and thankful for these words from an old hymn: " Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, freely bestowed on all who believe. . . . " - how precious to me!  I thank our Father for the long "message" conversation with my overseas son last night - hope he finally got some sleep and is feeling better; for the patches of blue seen in the sky this morning; and for these words from Habakkuk 3:17,18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior"; for the blue skies at sunrise and warm sunshine through my window; thankful that our big, noisy dog did not harm the fellow who was getting "too close" to me when he finished winterizing the water lines and came to offer the business address; and thankful for these words from Psalm 112:1 (and the "delight" here is "bending to His lead" as in dancing): "Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the one who fears the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worships Him with obedience], who delights greatly in His commandments"; to go to Riggins with my D.S.I.L. to visit my sis and pick up some of the food still stored there; thankful, too, that the cold in my head is improving day-by-day; and for the words of praise from Psalm 113:1-3 (AMP): "Praise the Lord! (Hallelujah!) Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting
the name of the Lord is to be praised [with awe-inspired reverence]"; for the warm clothing waiting to be removed from the under-bed boxes as the weather cools; for the conveniences of this house - the dishwasher humming in the kitchen, the capacious washer and dryer awaiting the laundry, the warm air from the heater - how fine! I am thankful, too, for these words of counsel: "Therefore I tell you, stop being worried or anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted) about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also"(Matthew 6:25,33 AMP); thankful to again be celebrating the Sabbath, the day Jesus claimed as His own (Matthew 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke 6:5); thankful for family and friends both near and far away; for the message of the "reason" for the Sabbath as found in Ezekiel 20:12(GNT): "I made the keeping of the Sabbath a sign of the agreement between us, to remind them that I, the Lord, make them holy."