Thanksgiving V ~

17-23 June:  This week, I have been thankful for life and a reasonable measure of good health - every day and always; thankful that there is sunlight in my heart even though it may not really be sunny out-of-doors; thankful for these words from Psalm 103:10-12 where we read: "He has not dealt with us after our sins nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great are His mercy and loving-kindness toward those who reverently and worshipfully fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (AMPC); thankful to be a daughter of the Most High Father - accepted into His family through the sacrifice of His Son and my Savior; thankful for the fellowship among the family of believers - wherever I've lived there are sisters and brothers who support and encourage me; thankful to be among those who are awaiting this glorious event which is described in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 where we read: "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord!" (AMPC); thankful for the pleasures of spring - the glorious blossoms on the Hawthorne Tree by the patio, the lush flowers of the peonies around us, the brightening weather - and so much more; thankful for a new day of life; thankful for (and in agreement with) these words from Psalm 57:7-8: "O God, my heart is quiet and confident. No wonder I can sing your praises! Rouse yourself, my soul! Arise, O harp and lyre! Let us greet the dawn with song!" (TLB); thankful for sleep - the pause that really refreshes; thankful for the middle of the night message that the D.D. who is traveling arrived at her destination safely;  thankful as I recall these words from the 91st Psalm, verses one and two, where it is written: "Whoever rests in the shadow of the Most High God will be kept safe by the Mighty One. I will say about the Lord, 'He is my place of safety. He is like a fort to me. He is my God. I trust in Him.'” (NIRV); thankful to see bright sunlight on all I survey and nothing but summery weather in the forecast; thankful for another pleasant sleep with dear Dandee to keep me company; thankful to have found these words from Micah 7:7-8 to be true in my own experience: "... As for me, I will look to the Lord and confident in Him I will keep watch; I will wait with hope and expectancy for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me. Rejoice not against me, O my enemy! When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me." (AMPC); thankful this morning for a Sabbath celebration filled with the promise of sunshine - the "April showers" seem to have lasted far too long; thankful for hours of safe travel as a traveler returned from her business trip to the state capitol; and thankful to recall this precious promise from Isaiah 40:27-31, where the prophet wrote: "Why would you ever complain ... or whine ... saying, 'God has lost track of me. He doesn’t care what happens to me'? Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?  God doesn’t come and go. God lasts. He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine. He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch His breath. And He knows everything, inside and out. He energizes those who get tired, gives fresh strength to dropouts. For even young people tire and drop out, young folk in their prime stumble and fall. But those who wait upon God get fresh strength. They spread their wings and soar like eagles, they run and don’t get tired, they walk and don’t lag behind." (MSG).