Thanksgiving IV ~

30 April-6 May:  This week I have been thankful for re-acquaintance with a friends from seventy years ago; for the drive out New Hope Road and finding the little road into Hidden Valley (now paved and much wider that when we lived there, the places we knew are now hidden behind a wall of trees), finding our little old house out on 'A' Street, the church our parents were helping to build when we left Oregon (now replaced by a whole campus with everything to be used in their outreach activities); thankful for this promise from 2 Corinthians 3:18 which reads, ". . .We Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like Him" (TLB);  for the gorgeous drive from Merlin over the Coast Backroads Scenic Byway along the Rogue River Canyon through Hell's Gate, then over the hills to Powers and on to Coos Bay and Lincoln City; thankful for the sight and sound of the great Pacific  -  almost heaven!  I am always thankful to know of the Creator spoken of in Job 9:8-10 where we read "God alone stretched out the sky, stepped on the sea, and set the stars in place—the Big Dipper and Orion, the Pleiades and the stars in the southern sky.  Of all the miracles God works, we cannot understand a one" (CEV); thankful for rich, new memories of southwestern Oregon's green hills and mountains refreshed by the travel to the coast; thankful for the opportunity to catch up with childhood friends from seventy years ago; and I am thankful for the words from Psalm 5:7 which echo the thoughts of my heart: "As for me, by Your abundant lovingkindness I will enter Your house, . . . I will bow in reverence for You" (NASB); I am thankful for the privilege of living life as the daughter of the King; I'm thankful for the privilege of prayer - the knowledge that our Father's ears are tuned to the praise and supplications of His children; and I am thankful for the promise found in 2 Chronicles 7:14,15: "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. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer that is made. . . ." (RSVCE); thankful to be in a place where the seasons have real, measurable differences - I loved the winters in Las Vegas, but the other seasons seemed to blur into one long summer; I'm thankful for the kinship in our church family, what a delightful family of sisters and brothers (young and not so young!); and I am thankful, always thankful, to read these words from Philippians 4:6,7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (NIV); thankful for plans to be back with my church family for study time, praise, and worship; thankful that the Creator has given D.D. a heart of compassion for critters that are in trouble; and I am thankful for the counsel of James 5:16 where we read: ". . . Be confessing-out your sins to [the one who has been hurt], and be praying for one another so that you may be healed. A prayer of a righteous person can do much. . . ." (DLNT with my paraphrase).