Thanksgiving IV ~

13-19 August:  I am thankful to see patches of blue through smokey skies; thankful to be reminded of a favorite old hymn, "Victory In Jesus!"; and thankful for the precious message from Ephesians 2:8-10 where we read: "For by grace you are saved through faith. And this is not from you. It is the gift of God— not of works, in order that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared-beforehand in order that we might walk in them." (DLNT); thankful to see blue sky again; thankful for suggestions of ways to pray for the Middle East/North Africa area where there is so much need; and thankful for the Savior's message found in Revelation 3:19,20: " I rebuke and discipline all whom I love. Therefore be zealous, and repent. Behold— I stand at the door. And I am knocking. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I also will come-in . . . ." (DLNT); thankful for every new day, with promises for strength to meet its challenges; thankful for time enough for "growing lessons"; and thankful for the message of Romans 14:8 where we read: "The truth is that we neither live nor die as self-contained units. At every turn life links us to God, .... In life or death we are in the hands of God." (PHILLIPS); thankful for the privilege of being a daughter of the King - awaiting His return to take His family home to the place He has prepared for us; thankful for the technology that allows me this opportunity to reach out to dear ones around the world; and thankful for this message from 2 Corinthians 7:1 that reads: "... Since we have these [great and wonderful] promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, completing holiness [living a consecrated life—a life set apart for God’s purpose] in the fear of God." (AMP); thankful for every promise found in the Word of God - many of them "I will . . . ." promises in His own words; thankful for His message that the Word is inspired, "God breathed", as a guide for us in our daily lives; and I am thankful for His affirmation in Isaiah 43:7 where we read: " All who claim Me as their God will come, for I have made them for My glory; I created them." (TLB); thankful for another glorious morning with all systems "GO"; thankful to have laundry starting in the wonderful washing machine; and thankful for these words from Philippians 1:9-11 that read: "I pray that your love will keep on growing more and more, together with true knowledge and perfect judgment, so that you will be able to choose what is best. Then you will be free from all impurity and blame on the Day of Christ. Your lives will be filled with the truly good qualities which only Jesus Christ can produce, for the glory and praise of God." (GNT); thankful for another Sabbath - the day chosen by our Creator to mark the completion of His work in making this beautiful world in which we live; thankful for all the beauty that still remains in spite of being marred by the effects of sin; and thankful for this message from 1 John 5:11,12: "This is the testimony in essence: God gave us eternal life; the life is in His Son. So, whoever has the Son, has life; whoever rejects the Son, rejects life." (MSG).