Thanksgiving III ~

17-23 April:  This week I have been thankful for a quiet night sharing space with Dandee - he's usually pretty good when his regular companion is OOT; thankful for another beautiful morning after the April showers last week; and I am thankful for these words from Zechariah 9:12: "Return to the stronghold [of security and prosperity], you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you" (AMPC); for plans to join the celebration of the Grants Pass SDA School's centennial at the end of this month - my sis and I were students there from spring of 1947-1950; thankful for the safe weekend for my EMT family and all those on the river with the jet-boat races; and thankful for these words from Romans 10:9,10: ". . . If you confess with your mouth 'Jesus is Lord' and in your heart you have faith that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Trusting with the heart leads to righteousness, and confessing with the mouth leads to salvation" (CEB); for the new helpers who are coming to carry part of the load of housekeeping - may we bring them a blessing as big as will be given us; I am thankful for the assurances of our Father's great love for each of His children; and for the message of Zechariah 13:9 that reads: "Then I will purify them and put them to the test, just as gold and silver are purified and tested. They will pray in my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'You are my people,' and they will reply,'You, Lord, are our God!'” (CEV); for an early waking after a delightfully restful time of sleep - up, and ready to meet this day; thankful for the two helpers who blitzed through house and downstairs apartment in three short hours - leaving nothing but "clean" and "shiny" behind; and thankful for the promise of Malachi 3:10 which has proven abundantly true in my life: "I am the Lord All-Powerful, and I challenge you to put me to the test. Bring the entire ten percent [tithe] into the storehouse, so there will be food in my house. Then I will open the windows of heaven and flood you with blessing after blessing." (CEV). It is impossible to outgive our Father as we return the tithe and bring our offerings to Him!  I am thankful for the beautiful colors with which our Creator paints the skies with the sunrise; for the daily provision of life and strength to meet the demands of the day; and for the precious assurances of Lamentations 3:22-26: "The Lord’s kindness never fails! If he had not been merciful, we would have been destroyed. The Lord can always be trusted to show mercy each morning. Deep in my heart I say, 'The Lord is all I need; I can depend on him!' The Lord is kind to everyone who trusts and obeys him. It is good to wait patiently for the Lord to save us" (CEV); for the miles of safe travel given as family members are moving during the hours of darkness (and light, too!); for this weekly "preparation day" to get ready for the Sabbath; and for this reminder from Romans 1:20: "God’s eternal power and character cannot be seen. But from the beginning of creation, God has shown what these are like by all He has made...." (CEV); and I'm thankful  for another Sabbath in which we celebrate the finish of the Creator's work - as He has directed; thankful, too, for an enclosed means of travel that doesn't expose us to the inclement elements; and thankful for the promise in Malachi 3:17: "The Lord said, 'They belong to me. I will be kind to them. Parents are very kind to their children who obey them. In the same way I will be kind to my followers'" (ERV).