Thanksgiving VI `

19-25 May:  This past week, I was thankful to have completed my 80th trip 'round our star - in the strength our God has supplied (Psalm 90:10); thankful for the love of family and friends that just enveloped me on this birthday; thankful for the affirmation of Deuteronomy 33:25 where we read "... As thy days, so shall thy strength be." (KJV);  on the beginning of my 81st year, my heart was filled with gratitude for the joyous gathering of family and friends who came from near and far to help me celebrate my birthday; thankful for the many roles I've filled through these years - sister, wife, mother, student, nurse, grandmother, and Gigi (great-grandmother) among many others - all praise to God!  I was thankful to read these words from Romans 15:5-6 where we read: "May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." (NLT); thankful to have enjoyed the presence of a couple of my "far away" grandkids through the weekend; thankful for an outing with my sis and a D.D. - an outing that included a visit with dear friends who live in Riggins; thankful for this passage from Isaiah 43:1-2,5-7 where it is written: "... Now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place ...: 'Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. So don’t be afraid: I’m with you. I’ll round up all your scattered children, pull them in from east and west. I’ll send orders north and south: "Send them back. Return My sons from distant lands, My daughters from faraway places. I want them back, every last one who bears My name, every man, woman, and child whom I created for My glory, yes, personally formed and made each one." ' " (MSG); thankful for plans to be doing a "ladies day" in the metropolis to the north with my sister and a pair of D.D.s for shopping and lunch; thankful for our Father's watch-care over loved ones who are experiencing difficulties in far away places; thankful for the counsel found in Galatians 5:13-14 where it is written: "My friends, you were chosen to be free. So don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do anything you want. Use it as an opportunity to serve each other with love. All that the Law says can be summed up in the command to love others as much as you love yourself." (CEV); thankful for safe travels as we four went to the city and back home yesterday - not even a slow-down for the road construction along the highway or at a primary intersection in the city!  I was thankful for the continuing presence of sister and my out-of-state D.D. who are visiting for my birthday; thankful for the admonition from Romans 15:1-2 where it is written: "Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?” (MSG);  thankful for the appointment at the clinic where the sutures will be removed from my arm (and VERY thankful the lesion removed showed only pre-cancer/atypical cells/dysplasia, not the squamous-cell skin cancer I wanted to avoid!); thankful to have had all three daughters here in one place for the last week; thankful for this message from Romans 12:9-10 where it is written: "Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle." (MSG); thankful for one more day with my sis and the D.D. who is visiting; and thankful to recall this counsel from James 1:19-20 where it is written: "Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger." (MSG).