Thanksgiving III ~

15-21 May:  This week I've been thankful to be living in a virtual park - trees and shrubs abloom all around us, the lawn carefully manicured thanks to my D.S.I.L. - what a blessing to be here! I am thankful for the continuing beauty of the blossoms on the tree outside my window - they were white when they first appeared but, fully opened, they are blushing a pale pink; and I'm thankful for this message from Psalm 126:5,6: "Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!  He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him" (ESV); for the privilege of prayer. What a blessing to be able to come, confidently, before God's throne with our praise, our thanks, and our requests, because we've been invited; thankful for the dear grand-children (and great-grands!) with which I've been blessed - what a joy as I watch them grow and develop into the people they were meant to be; and thankful, too, for the faithful counsel of the Scriptures - as true today as when Paul wrote: "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that [God's people] may be complete, equipped for every good work" 2 Timothy 3:16,17 (ESV); thankful to have enjoyed the nature walk D.D. and D.S.I.L. traveled as they shared the photos and I spent time trying to identify the blossoms from my flower books - I really need to invest in a volume on the flowers of the northwest! I'm thankful to wake up to sunlight this morning; and the words of an old song rattling around in my brain: "O the sunlight, beautiful sunlight, O the sunlight in the heart! Jesus' smile can banish sadness; it is sunlight in the heart." F.E. Belden, Christ In Song, p.229; for a new day, with the blessings of the Father's mercy, His graces that are fresh every morning (Lamentations 3:22-24); thankful to be able to exchange my expiring drivers' license for a state ID that will suffice to prove my existence; and thankful for the beautiful promise in 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land" (ESV); thankful for the gift of life God has granted - my 77th year has been filled with blessings galore and I'm eager for the tomorrows to be revealed; thankful for the greetings coming from family and friends; and for these words from Psalm 9:1,2: "O Lord, I will praise you with all my heart and tell everyone about the marvelous things you do. I will be glad, yes, filled with joy because of you. I will sing your praises, O Lord God above all gods" (TLB);  I'm thankful for all the HAPPY BIRTHDAY! wishes that have arrived from family and friends far and near; thankful for feast with a D.D. and my sis at the Mexican restaurant in Grangeville - what fun! And I'm thankful for the precious message from John 1:12: ". . . To as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name—" (AMP); thankful for another Sabbath - the Creator's celebration of His finished work in making a beautiful world for us (Genesis 2:2,3); thankful for the Bible's record of His work of creation, of reconciliation and redemption; and thankful for the message of the future He has planned for us - "I know the plans I have in mind for you, declares the Lord; they are plans for peace, not disaster, to give you a future filled with hope" Jeremiah 29:11 (CEB).