Thanksgiving VII ~

 27 September-3 October:  In the past week, I have been thankful that the weather was much less inclement over the weekend than what was forecast when D.D. and D.S.I.L. pulled out of the drive with their spiffy little camper; thankful to have completed eight-plus block walks every day this past week; thankful that, in Matthew 6:25-32, we are reminded that our heavenly Father is well aware of our temporal needs; how valuable then is the counsel from verse 33 where Jesus says: "Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met." (MSG); thankful for a new day of life - with a prayer that I'll be kept from soiling its pages; thankful that our Creator has put great beauty in the foliage of autumn, a yearly reminder of His love and grace; thankful for this message from 1 Corinthians 2:13-14 where it is written: "Every word we speak was taught to us by God’s Spirit, not by human wisdom. And this same Spirit helps us teach spiritual things to spiritual people. That’s why only someone who has God’s Spirit can understand spiritual blessings. Anyone who doesn’t have God’s Spirit thinks these blessings are foolish." (CEV); thankful to be a daughter of the King; thankful for my anticipation of His soon coming, when He will take His people - those who've been resurrected and all who remain alive to that point - from this worn-out earth to His forever kingdom (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17); thankful for the words completing this passage, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18, where the apostle writes: "... The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (KJV); thankful to have had opportunity to explore a new track for walking, and to have been told where to find a street that will take me across the old railroad bed west of us; thankful for the sturdy walker with its seat available, if needed, that accompanies me on these excursions; thankful for this exhortation from Philippians 1:9-10 where it is written: "Here’s what I pray for you: 'Father, may their love grow more and more in wisdom and insight—so they will be able to examine and determine the best from everything else. And on the day of the Anointed One, the day of His judgment, let them stand pure and blameless,'" (VOICE); thankful for the love of my grown-up family (grown in age AND in numbers, as my kids have married!); thankful to be able to rearrange my personal schedule to fit the needs of the day; thankful for this affirmation from Matthew 5:11-12 where we read: "... Blessed are you, blessed are all of you, when people persecute you or denigrate you or despise you or tell lies about you on My account. But when this happens, rejoice. Be glad. Remember that God’s prophets have been persecuted in the past. And know that in heaven, you have a great reward." (VOICE); thankful to be celebrating eldest D.D.'s arrival and her many circuits of our earth star - Happy Birthday!;thankful to hear the busy hum of the washer across the hall - and thinking of all those who are washing laundry by hand in water less clean; thankful for this admonition from Proverbs 29:25 where we read: "People are trapped by their fear of others; those who trust the Lord are secure." (CEB); thankful for a new Sabbath day, the day the Creator chose as His own when He'd finished making our world and all that is in it (Genesis 2:2-3); thankful for anticipation of worship with my church family this morning; and thankful to read these words from 1 Peter 1:2 where they are written: "Blessed [gratefully praised and adored] be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant and boundless mercy has caused us to be born again [that is, to be reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] to an ever-living hope and confident assurance through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," (AMP).