Thanksgiving VI ~

10-16 March:  This week, I was thankful for every new day of life and the strength for all its needs; thankful to again use my writing hand with increasing legibility; thankful as I read this counsel from 1 Peter 3:15-16 where it is written: "... Exalt Him as Lord in your heart. Always be ready to offer a defense, humbly and respectfully, when someone asks why you live in hope. Keep your conscience clear so that those who ridicule your good conduct in the Anointed and say bad things about you will be put to shame." (VOICE); thankful to see D.D. having recovered from her knee injury enough to be again pressing toward her fitness goals - PTL!   I was thankful to be gaining strength and stability as I work to increase MY fitness for the activities of daily living; thankf'ul for this assurance from Deuteronomy 7:8-9 where it is written: "... The Lord chose you because He loved you, and He kept His promise .... So know that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God. He will keep his agreement of love for a thousand lifetimes for people who love him and obey his commands." (NCV); thankful for all the health care available just a few blocks from home; thankful to know I am "fearfully and WONDERFULLY made" (Psalm 139:14); thankful as I read this message from Romans 8:28 where it is written: "We are confident that God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan." (VOICE); thankful to be wearing a spring-green/yellow sweater (and Lee jeans!) gifted by a D.D. who's also looking forward to spring; thankful for the steady progression of seasons year after year - just as He promised in Genesis 8:22; thankful for this counsel from 2 Peter 1:4-8 where it is written: "... We are not passive observers of God’s saving actions. We must receive His grace, grow in knowledge, and join Him in this work of redemption. To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love. For if you possess these traits and multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the Anointed" (VOICE); thankful not to need an auto journey for testing, that these tests can be done locally - less time from an already busy day; thankful for the sunlight peeping over the hill outside - sunlight really warms my heart!   I was thankful for this message from Acts 4:10,12 where it is written: "Let it be known and understood by all of you ... that in the name and through the power and authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified, [but] Whom God raised from the dead, in Him and by means of Him this man is standing here before you well and sound in body. And there is salvation in and through no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by and in which we must be saved." (AMPC); thankful for a beautiful Sabbath day and the blessings that came with it - the Bible study with sisters and brothers in Christ, prayer and praise, with a thought provoking message from our pastor; thankful for my wonderful church family and the support it provides whenever the opportunity arises; and I was thankful for this counsel from Colossians 3:12-13 where it is written: "These are the clothes you must put on, then, since God has chosen you, made you holy, and lavished his love upon you. You must be tender-hearted, kind, humble, meek, and ready to put up with anything. You must bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against someone else, you must forgive each other. Just as the master forgave you, you must do the same." (NTE).