Thanksgiving VI ~

3-9 February:  In this past week I have been thankful for the "Love" message brought to us by our pastor's wife in the worship service - she's an accomplished speaker whose messages are deeply appreciated; thankful for the gentle "female rain" (in Navajo parlance) that was falling outside and giving water to things growing in the earth; thankful to echo these words from Psalm 59:16-17 where they are written: "But as for me, I shall sing of Your strength; yes, I shall joyfully sing of Your lovingkindness in the morning, for You have been my stronghold and a refuge in the day of my distress. ... my strength, I will sing praises to You; for God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness." (NASB); thankful for the quiet hush of my world during a snowfall - the usual noise from the daytime is dampered and my place is a peaceful spot; thankful that Dandee didn't get buried when he dashed outside into the snow - he surely needed a trip under the warm water for de-icing when he was ready to come back into the house!   I was thankful the words from King David's heart (that are mine as well) recorded in Psalm 18:1-2 where we read: "I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, and my safe place, and the One Who takes me out of trouble. My God is my rock, in Whom I am safe. He is my safe-covering, my saving strength, and my strong tower." (NLV);  thankful for Dr. Bonnie Head and the video she posted about the bottle house project in Mauritania (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7nAbSHFvHg&feature=youtu.be ) where discarded plastic bottles are used to provide shelter;  thankful for the work of ADRA (Adventist Relief & Development Agency) around the globe; thankful as I think on these words from Psalm 33:4-5 where they are written: "For the Word of the Lord is right. He is faithful in all He does. He loves what is right and good and what is fair. The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord." (NLV); thankful to be able to reach out and do business through my computer keyboard, what a blessing!   I was thankful for the big snow-blowing machine D.S.I.L. uses to clear the walks and driveways after a persistent snow fall; thankful for this truth from Proverbs 21:21 where it is written: "[One] who follows what is right and loving and kind finds life, right-standing with God and honor." (NLV); thankful for bright sunlight and clear skies overhead; thankful that Ciri (the big, ever burgeoning pup at this house) so loves the after-outdoors-treats that she RUNS back into her kennel to wait for the "cookie" - no need to wrassle her into it!   I was thankful for this message from Psalm 97:10-11 where it is written: "Those of you who love the Lord, hate evil! God guards the lives of his faithful ones, delivering them from the power of the wicked. Light is planted like seed for the righteous person; joy too for those whose heart is right." (CEB); thankful for the free replacement set of hearing amplifiers (no, not hearing-AIDS) given when the first left-side device would not stop whistling - now experiencing much better hearing on both sides; thankful for the beautiful sweater D.D. found for me in Boise during the convention she attended there; thankful for the counsel of Jesus who said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.'" (Matthew 5:43-45; WEB); thankful for a wonderful Sabbath day and the blessing of sharing the Hope Sabbath School lesson study with my church family; thankful for the beauties in the natural world around us seen as we traveled to and from the services; and I was thankful to read this beautiful message from 2 Thessalonians 1:3 where it is written: "We feel a personal responsibility to continually be thanking God for you, our spiritual family, every time we pray. And we have every reason to do so because your faith is growing marvelously beyond measure. The unselfish love each of you share for one another is increasing and overflowing!" (TPT).