Thanksgiving VI ~

20-26 January:  This week, I have been  thankful to hear the dishwasher humming away in the kitchen, doing its thing with little input from these hands; thankful for the four-leggers in this house that provide so much company (and laughter, at times!); thankful for the message given to us in James 1:2-4 where it is written: "Don’t run from tests and hardships, brothers and sisters. As difficult as they are, you will ultimately find joy in them; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience as you endure. And true patience brought on by endurance will equip you to complete the long journey and cross the finish line—mature, complete, and wanting nothing." (VOICE); thankful for the grace in D.D. that allows her to count as nothing an old woman's foolish actions; thankful for the abundant grace provided by the Father to a world in rebellion against His government; thankful for this promise found in 1 John 1:8-9 where we read: "If we refuse to admit that we are sinners, then we live in a world of illusion and truth becomes a stranger to us. But if we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward—he forgives our sins and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil." (PHILLIPS); thankful for the influence of the Flylady in my life over the most recent twenty years (Wish I were more consistent in applying those principles!); thankful for the principles of godly living that are found in the Word and seeking to apply THEM more consistently in my life as well; thankful to know that the main verbs in the following passage are in the Greek form that shows an on-going, continued action - keep ON asking, seeking, knocking - so "Just ask and it will be given to you; seek after it and you will find. Continue to knock and the door will be opened for you. All who ask receive. Those who seek, find what they seek. And [the one] who knocks, will have the door opened." (Matthew 7:7-8, (VOICE); thankful for reminders - those "angel whispers" and reminders from others wearing skin - when I get distracted; thankful to have the words to a favorite Gospel song filling my head this morning, because I AM glad "I serve a RISEN Savior! He's in the world TODAY! ....'; thankful for this promise in James 1:5 where it is written: "If you don’t have all the wisdom needed for this journey, then all you have to do is ask God for it; and God will grant all that you need. He gives lavishly and never scolds you for asking." (VOICE); thankful for Sabbath School lessons with a focus on Jesus and His work for us that was given to John,who recorded what he saw and heard in the book, "The Revelation of Jesus Christ"; thankful as I read the beautiful words of Isaiah 12:2, where it says: "Indeed, God is my salvation; I will trust Him and not be afraid, for . . . the Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my salvation" (HCSB); thankful for the immediacy of fb messages - time for prayer, right now, when others are in difficulty; thankful for nights of sound sleep and refreshment; thankful every time I read these words from Philippians 4:8 where they are written: "Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy." (VOICE) - What a blessing if we all would heed that counsel!  I was thankful to be celebrating another of the weekly memorials of our Creator's work (and the ONLY reason for a seven-day week in our world!); and I was thankful for this counsel from James 4:10 where it is written: " Humble yourselves [with an attitude of repentance and insignificance] in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you [He will lift you up, He will give you purpose]." (AMP)..