Thanksgiving V ~

17-23 December:  This week, I've been thankful to know there's a glorious reason for this season of celebration - while the December date is more representative of an old pagan festival we can truly rejoice for the child of heaven, our Savior; thankful for His repeated promise to come again and take His people to join Him in a forever life in His kingdom of peace; and thankful to know our Father was aware of the challenges His plan would bring, for He sent "... an angel of the Lord [to Joseph] in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The Lord is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.'” (Matthew 1:20,21; AMP); thankful to be aware that better days are definitely on their way - this head cold's grip is surely loosening; I am thankful that our Father's word is sure - all He has said will come to pass as it has in the past; and I am thankful for the assurance of these words from Luke 1:68-70: “Bless the Lord ... because He has come to help and has delivered His people. He has raised up a mighty Savior for us in His servant David’s house, just as He said through the mouths of His holy prophets long ago." (CEB); thankful for every new day of life and the blessings that are promised with that life; thankful to know that there is blessing in an "attitude of gratitude" for all God provides in our lives, it depends entirely on one's focus; thankful for this message brought to the young woman who would be the mother of our Savior: "... The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. ...Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?' And the angel answered and said to her, 'The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.'" (Luke 1:30-35; NKJV); thankful to have my greeting cards (for friends NOT available from my computer) ready for the morning mail pick-up; thankful for the many who can be reached here on fb with holiday messages; and thankful for this part of the Christmas story telling us how a couple from the north in Israel came to be in Bethlehem of Judea: "At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child." (Luke 2:1,4,5; NLT); thankful for warm water from the tap for an early shower; thankful for the produce in the refrigerator to construct my favorite cabbage salad (with Brussels Sprout slices added as well); thankful for this re-telling of the "old, old story' from Luke 2:6,7 where we read: " And while they were there [in Bethlehem], the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her firstborn Son. She wrapped Him snugly in strips of cloth and laid Him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them." (NLT); thankful for the friendly and helpful folks in our hometown; for our house filled with sounds and smells of the Christmas season; 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 (John 14:2,3) - "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"; for 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); thankful to celebrate a new Sabbath with the church family in Grangeville - beginning with a spirited discussion based on the message from Romans 12 & 13, then continuing in songs of praise and a retelling of the Christmas story in from Luke 1 & 2; thankful for the blessing of an absolutely clear winter's day; and thankful to be reminded of the "old,old story" with these words from Luke 2:11-14: "'The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize Him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.' Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.'”(NLT).