Thanksgiving IV ~

18-24 December:  This week I have been thankful to be anticipating the winter solstice - not for old pagan celebrations, but for the astronomical event of our planet ending its southward tilt for this year - I am weary of days growing ever shorter and shorter; I'm thankful for the precious little-ones who presented our Sabbath program yesterday, and for the moms and dads who spent the required hours in preparation; and I am thankful to know the truth of this message from Luke 1:68-70: “Bless the Lord God . . . because He has come to help and has delivered His people. He has raised up a mighty Savior for us . . . just as He said through the mouths of His holy prophets long ago" (CEB); thankful for D.D.'s message - no need to try and change clinic appointment (a B.P. follow-up) as she's re-arranging her schedule; I'm thankful for all the stories that tell of our Father's care for His people of all times; and I am thankful to be part of those who praise God with the apostle, Paul, who wrote in Ephesians 1:3-10: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons [and daughters] through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will, to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth" (ESV); for D.D.'s decision to stay in Kamiah, where she teaches, rather than coming through hazardous blizzardy conditions across the Camas Prairie; I'm thankful to have hot water for my shower (and heat in the bathroom!); and I am thankful for this message from our God, a God of justice, found in Ezekiel 34:15-16: "'I myself will be the Shepherd of my sheep and cause them to lie down in peace,' the Lord God says. 'I will seek my lost ones, those who strayed away, and bring them safely home again. I will put splints and bandages upon their broken limbs and heal the sick. . . .'" (TLB); for the friendly and helpful folks in our hometown; for our house filled with sounds and smells of the Christmas season; and for the sure conviction that as the prophecies of the Child born in Bethlehem proved true, those that tell of His return will prove true as well - "In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also" John 14:2,3. for a new day of life; thanks for coming to the end of the lengthening nights for this year; and the message of hope from Ezekiel 36:25-28: "I will sprinkle you with clean water, and you will be clean. . . . I will wash away everything that makes you unclean. . . . I will take away your stubborn heart and give you a new heart and a desire to be faithful. You will have only pure thoughts, because I will put my Spirit in you and make you eager to obey my laws and teachings. . . . you will be my people, and I will be your God" (CEV); I'm thankful for the weekly preparation day - the first of the two named days in Scripture - the other is the Sabbath. All the rest of the days are simply designated by number. I am thankful for the videos of inter-species friendship and play on the internet - the antics of an indoors coyote and his (her?) kitten buddy had me giggling yesterday; and I am thankful for the message of the angel found in Luke 2:11,12: " This very day in King David’s hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay” (CEV); thankful for another Sabbath; thankful that (thanks to D.D. ) the down-time this week for my computer was only a brief blip; and I am thankful to read this precious promise from Ezekiel 37:26,27: "And I will make a covenant of peace with them, it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will establish them, and will multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for ever.  And my tabernacle shall be with them: and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (DRA).