Thanksgiving V ~

10-16 December:  Last week, I was thankful for glorious sunrises and the promise of  beautiful days; thankful for lists - all kinds of lists - to help me get through my days; and thankful for this promise, fulfilled in Jesus, from Isaiah 9:6 where we read: "For to us a Child shall be born, to us a Son shall be given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder, and His name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." (NKJV); thankful for the trip with a D.D. to Lewiston for shopping, a bit of scissor-work on my mop, a delightful lunch at a restaurant I'd never been to before - Red Bento, then a drive up to Kamiah before returning home; thankful for all the prophecies of the event more than 2000 years ago which brings us together to celebrate this season; thankful for our Father's constant care as we go through life, so many times we are simply unaware of the dangers around us but He has promised: "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the [one] who trusts in Him!" (Psalm 34:7,8; NKJV); thankful to remember this little song from days when my kids were small - "Jesus sends the angels, angels, angels, Jesus sends the angels with us when we're trav'ling!"; for children (and grandchildren, too) who have learned "love" is an action word; thankful for this message from Scripture: "... When the right time came, God sent His Son, who was born from a woman and lived under the law. God did this so that He could buy the freedom of those who were under the law. God’s purpose was to make us His children." (Galatians 4:4,5; ERV); thankful to see the fresh blanket of snow - I do SO appreciate the reminder of how our Heavenly Father can take a life that is grime-y, soiled from contact with the world's brokenness (and from one's own mistakes and character flaws) and make that life "white as snow"; thankful for weather forecasts that warn of dangerous driving conditions; and thankful to read this part of the Christmas story: "... Wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, 'Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.' When Herod the king heard this ... he inquired .. where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, 'In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet ....': 'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:1-6; cf Micah 5:2; NKJV); thankful there is an end to all things - no discomfort will last forever! This head-cold WILL dissolve into a non-drippy nose; thankful for the wonderful healing properties our Creator built into our design, and to know some of the ways to put them into action; thankful for this promise found in John 15:11 where we read: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." (NKJV); thankful for the promise of strength for the day; and thankful for these words from Lamentations 3:22-24 where we read: "Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.    'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'Therefore I hope in Him!'” (NKJV); thankful for a new Sabbath and its reminder of a loving Creator/Redeemer who came to show us how to LIVE; thankful for the love that brought Him here to give His life so that I may have a forever life with Him; and thankful for this wonderful message from 2 Corinthians 5:20,21: "Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Praise God!