Thanksgiving VIII ~

 31 January-6 February:  This past week, I was thankful for all the love of family and friends in my life; thankful for the friends from long ago with whom I'm in contact here on fb; thankful for this admonition from Luke 16:9 where it is written: "Realize that the purpose of money is to strengthen friendships, to provide opportunities for being generous and kind. Eventually money will be useless to you—but if you use it generously to serve others, you will be welcomed joyfully into your eternal destination." (VOICE);
thankful as we start a new month, one month closer to spring; thankful that I've been able to get out of the house with my walker a few times, tho' snow and mud are a big deterrent; thankful as I read these words from Deuteronomy 6:4-5 where Moses tells all believers: "... The Eternal is our True God—He alone. You should love Him, your True God, with all your heart and soul, with every ounce of your strength." (VOICE); thankful to believe the truth of these words: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you and continued My faithfulness to you."(Jeremiah 31:3; AMPC); thankful for the long-suffering love of our heavenly Father, who is "not willing that ANY should perish, but that ALL should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9; NKJV); thankful for faith in the promises of God - to know that "... As the Scriptures say, 'No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard and it has never occurred to the human heart all the things God prepared for those who love Him.'" (1 Corinthians 2:9; VOICE); thankful for our Father's steadfast love for humanity; thankful for a heart that yearns after Him; thankful to echo this thought from Psalm 59:16-17 where we read: "... I will awake with the sun to sing of Your loving mercy.... I will lift my voice to sing Your praise, O my Strength—for You came to my defense. O God, You have shown me Your loving mercy." (VOICE; In answer to a query, The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society; is one of my favorites for the language we use today, and its flow); thankful for my beautiful second- and third-generation of children - the grands and GREAT-grands that bring much happiness to my heart; thankful for all the examples I've seen of perseverance through pain of ALL sorts; thankful to read these words of praise from Psalm 18:2 where King David wrote: "The Eternal is my rock, my fortress, and my salvation; He is my True God, the stronghold in which I hide, my strong shield ...." (VOICE); thankful for the message of  Philippians 1:6, the "good work" that has begun in me will be "completed"; thankful for God's promise never to forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:8; Hebrews 13:5); thankful for the truth of the words in Psalm 33:4 - "... The word of the Eternal is perfect and true; His actions are always faithful and right." (VOICE); thankful for a new Sabbath (and ESPECIALLY thankful to resume worship together in our church!); thankful for the matchless grace with which our Savior covers all who put themselves into His care; and I was thankful for this truth in Proverbs 21:21 where it is written: "Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor." (ESV).