Thanksgiving V ~

24-30 June:  This week, I have been thankful for the ability to see sunlight, to hear the birds outside my window, and for the activity of ALL the senses the Creator has given; thankful to know our God is one who understands my struggles and forgives when I fail Him; thankful that ". . . they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31; TLB); thankful for the gift of an anti-inflammatory salve that worked wonders for a sore toe in the night; thankful for the extra time with the teacher this summer; thankful for the "Thou, God, seest me" message in Jeremiah 23:23-24 where it is written: "Am I a God who is only in one place and cannot see what they are doing? Can anyone hide from me? Am I not everywhere in all of heaven and earth?" (TLB) - comforting thought, " For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him." (2 Chronicles:16:9; KJV); thankful for a heart that continues to pump effectively hour after hour; thankful for healthy lungs to exchange used blood gasses for those that are oxygen filled; thankful for the wise Creator who designed these miracles, "You shaped me, inside and out. You knitted me together in my mother’s womb long before I took my first breath. I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul." (Psalm 139:13-14; VOICE); thankful to know my rememberer can experience a brief malfunction and recover! (I have no idea what might have been the distraction that got me sidetracked but so thankful to have recovered my wits); thankful to see the Forks Over Knives cookbook D.D. has purchased with all kinds of recipes for plant-based, whole food dishes; thankful for the message from Jesus in Matthew 16:24-25 where He said: "... 'If you truly want to follow me, you should at once completely reject and disown your own life. And you must be willing to share my cross and experience it as your own as you continually surrender to my ways. For if you choose self-sacrifice and lose your lives for my glory, you will continually discover true life. But if you choose to keep your lives for yourselves, you will forfeit what you try to keep.'" (TPT); thankful that eldest D.D. is back at home after a week in the hospital and well on the road to recovery; thankful for the words to an old song, "God Cares for Me", that are rattling 'round my brain cells; thankful as I re-read these words from 2 Peter 3:8-9 where it is written: "... Do not forget one thing, my dear friends! There is no difference in the Lord's sight between one day and a thousand years; to Him the two are the same. The Lord is not slow to do what He has promised, as some think. Instead, He is patient with you, because He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants all to turn away from their sins." (GNT); thankful for the gifts of delectable fruit available to us year-round and the seasonal fruits given in summer and winter - what a blessing; thankful for the mild temperatures, glad to still be wearing long pants and a sweater at times; thankful for this affirmation from Psalm 138:8 where it is written: "Lord, You will show that I was right to trust You. Lord, Your faithful love continues forever. You have done so much for us, so don’t stop now." (NIRV); thankful for a bright Sabbath wake-up,with sunlight thru' my window and in my heart; thankful for the D.S. who came for a visit; and thankful for this promise from Matthew 24:14: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then the end shall come" (KJV). Maranatha!