Thanksgiving VI ~

3-9 March:  This week, I have been thankful to be one day closer - closer to springtime AND closer to the return of our Savior, our King; thankful for all the promises telling us of His return in glory unimaginable; thankful for Paul's description of just how that will happen, written in 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, where we read: "For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left to the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever." (WEB); thankful for another on-line Bible study with a few of my church family who are together studying the little books of John's epistles and Jude - asking God's blessing in this work; thankful for sound sleep and rest whenEVER it happens; thankful that I can understand these words, spoken so long ago, to be for myself as challenges occur in MY life: "... Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9; ESV); thankful for my six children (and the fine others they have added!) who are still on speaking terms with their "not so perfect" mother; thankful for the days our Father has added to my life, far exceeding the "three score and ten" spoken of in the Bible; thankful that these words, spoken so long ago by Moses, are still wise counsel for parents today: "Make the things I’m commanding you today part of who you are. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you’re sitting together in your home and when you’re walking together down the road. Make them the last thing you talk about before you go to bed and the first thing you talk about the next morning." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7; VOICE); thankful for all the fresh fruit that is available to me, even through the winter snows - delicious Navel Oranges being a particular favorite; thankful for grandchildren who share news on fb - far away just seems closer than it was when snail mail was the only option (other than telegrams at Xcents/word!); thankful to agree with these words written by the prophet Isaiah many centuries ago, but still true: "Lord, You are my God. I honor You and praise Your name, because You did amazing things. The words You said long ago are completely true; everything happened exactly as You said it would." (Isaiah 25:1; ERV); thankful that our Savior is persistent in His knocking on the door of MY heart; thankful that His Word declares that "... He is not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9); thankful for this prayer from the Psalms (and from MY heart!) "Explore me, O God, and know the real me. Dig deeply and discover who I am. Put me to the test and watch how I handle the strain. Examine me to see if there is an evil bone in me, and guide me down Your path forever." (Psalm 139:23-24; VOICE); thankful as I hear the hum of the busy washing machine across the hall - not all have that blessing available to them; thankful, always, for enough - clothes to cover me, space for living (and to share); food in cupboards and pantry - enough of so many things; thankful as I consider the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 6: 31-33 where He said: "... Do not consume yourselves with questions: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? Outsiders make themselves frantic over such questions; they don’t realize that your heavenly Father knows exactly what you need. Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things will be given to you too." (VOICE); thankful to be ready for another Sabbath with my church family; thankful for the rapid resolution of a TIA that caused some difficulties in my right hand yesterday - writing went from clear and readable to nearly illegible within a few moments, but mostly resolved by days end - and lab tests done showed an improved kidney function (unrelated to the TIA, but good news indeed); and thankful to know the truth of these words from 2 Timothy 1:9 where they are written: " God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did not do it because of the good things we have done. He did it because He Himself planned to do it, and wanted to do it. That was the blessing He gave us in Christ Jesus. He had this plan before He made the world." (WE).