Thanksgiving VI ~

17-23 February:  This week, I was thankful to be able to gradually increase my activity level - not that it will ever be as it was twenty-five years ago, but a lot more than when I was just parked in my comfy chair; thankful for the youngest D.D. and her encouragement to make "accountability postings" on-line; thankful for these words from Romans 8:35,38-39 where they are written: "Can anything separate us from the love of Christ? Can trouble, suffering, and hard times, or hunger and nakedness, or danger and death? I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God’s love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord!" (CEV); thankful to wake a bit early, refreshed and ready for the day; thankful as I reviewed some of the concepts in Shelley Quinn's Exalting His Word - SO much to consider! I was thankful to read of the example of King David's way of making an offering to the Lord in 1 Chronicles 21:24 where God's Word says: "... I can’t just take something from you and then offer the Lord a sacrifice that cost me nothing.” (CEV) This is the spirit of true devotion, a gift that has value to the GIVER!  i was thankful for the safe trip to Lewiston and the choice to return earlier than planned due to skies that had changed from clear to a heavy cloud layer - home before there was much snow on the road going up to the Camas Prairie (but another three inches fell through the night!); thankful for the ease of getting both cold AND hot water from the taps inside the house and thinking that, for many, that possibility is far out of reach - what a tragic situation; thankful for these words from 1 John 4:10-12 where we read: "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us in this way, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and His love has been perfected in us." (WEB); thankful to be learning to live as a child of my King - for one of the American culture of independence, it is definitely a life-long process, but He's so patient with me; thankful for the message in Lamentations 3:21-24 that tells me of God's great compassion for humanity; and for the counsel from Proverbs 17:9-10 where it is written: "You will keep your friends if you forgive them, but you will lose your friends if you keep talking about what they did wrong. A sensible person accepts correction, but you can’t beat sense into a fool." (CEV); thankful for D.D.'s safe travel through the snowstorm (with prayers for a safe trip on her return); thankful to see the extra space D.S.I.L. made with an extra leaf in the table and a ninety-degree turn of its position; thankful for these words from Romans 15:9-10 which remind us that God's law is still in effect: "The commands given to you in the Scriptures—do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not take what is not yours, do not covet—and any other command you have heard are summarized in God’s instruction: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Does love hurt anyone? Absolutely not. In fact, love achieves everything the law requires." (VOICE); thankful for Sabbath preparations almost completed as this day begins; thankful to be awake (and as alert as this elderly brain can operate!) as morning moves on; thankful for this assurance in 1 John 4:17-19 where it is written: "... As we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face Him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced His perfect love. We love each other because He loved us first." (NLT);thankful for anticipation of Sabbath with my church family - for study together, for prayer and praise, for worship and fellowship - such delight! I've been thankful that the snow here has not increased to the level seen in a photo my dear sister shared; and thankful for the wise counsel found in Proverbs 14:22 where it is written: "Don’t those who plan evil go astray? But those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness." (HCSB).