Thanksgiving V ~

27 May-2 June:  This last week, I was thankful for each new day of life, and strength that is promised to meet its needs; thankful to see the sunlight coming through my window; thankful for the message found in Paul's words as he bade farewell to the church in Melita: "What I do know is that the Holy Spirit testifies to me from city to city that prisons and troubles await me. But nothing, not even my life, is more important than my completing my mission. This is nothing other than the ministry I received from the Lord Jesus: to testify about the good news of God’s grace." (Acts20:23-24; CEB); thankful to the soldiers and sailors, the marines and coast guardians and airmen whose unselfish dedication to country we celebrated Memorial Day; thankful for all who are now serving in each branch of the military; thankful for the apostle Paul's words, words that remind us of the continuing warfare in each of our lives as written in Ephesians 6:10-18 where we read:: "... Put on God’s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. We aren’t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens...." (CEB); thankful for the carefully designed pump that has worked faithfully for close to eight decades to keep oxygen circulating through the "house" in which I live; thankful, too, that the foolishness of inhaling poisonous vapors in my youth didn't continue and cause damage to the oxygen/CO2 exchange mechanism the Creator has provided; thankful, as well, as I read these words from Psalm 139:14 where the psalmist writes: "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well." (NKJV); thankful for those who - over the years - have considered liberty of such great value that they have given all to preserve it; thankful for the many others who have come home after serious injuries to take up their lives in new ways; thankful for the message found in Psalm 56:3-4: ". . . When I am afraid, I will put my confidence in You. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting Him, what can mere man do to me?" (TLB); thankful for the four-legged friends I've known and loved thru' my life - what a blessing the Creator provided when He gave us these companions! I'm thankful to still be enjoying the pretty pink flowers on the Horse-Chestnut outside my window; thankful to think that one day (soon, I hope!) "... the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord." ( 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; NKJV);  thankful for the mechanical laundry assistants that make our lives so much simpler than the "modern conveniences" available in the early years of my life; thankful for this message about the future our Father has planned for His people that the apostle, John, writes about in Revelation 21:2-4 where we read: "I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as abride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud voice from the throne say, “Look! God’s dwelling is here with humankind. He will dwell with them, and they will be his peoples. God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more. There will be no mourning, crying, or pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” (CEB); thankful for a new Sabbath, a day to remember and celebrate the Creator who made this earth and all in it; thankful for the sunlight shining through the big leaves on the tree outside my window; and thankful to read these words from Hebrews 9:26-28 where it is written: "... [Jesus] has now appeared once at the end of the ages to get rid of sin by sacrificing himself. People are destined to die once and then face judgment. In the same way, Christ was also offered once to take on himself the sins of many people. He will appear a second time, not to take away sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him." (CEB).