Thanksgiving VIII ~

28 March-3 April:  During the past week, I have been thankful for the dear pastor friend from Las Vegas Paradise who may have "retired" but is still ministering to my heart - he was the speaker at our services last week, what a blessing!   I was thankful to have received a note from a student from our China years, now a hospitalist here in the US - always good to hear from Dr. Bai; thankful for this statement from 1 Timothy 2:5-6 where it is written: "... There is one God and one Mediator between God and us—the man Jesus, God’s Anointed, who gave His life as a ransom for all so that we might have freedom...." (VOICE); thankful for a sturdy shelter and a strongly shingled roof (with thanks to the D.S.I.L. and D.G.D. who accomplished the job in recent times!) - the wind Monday evening was all that was forecast! I was thankful for the Scripture's word picture of angels holding "the four winds ... that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree." (Revelation 7:1); thankful for this message from 2 Corinthians 5:21 where it is written: "Christ did no wrong thing. But for our sake God put the blame for our wrong ways on Christ. So now God sees us as good, because we are in Christ." (WE); thankful to know that Jesus is coming again, to receive His friends from all the ages and transport us to His Father's house above (John 14:2; 1Thessalonians 4:16-17); thankful that all who believe on Jesus and His atonement for us are invited to go along; thankful for this truth from Isaiah 53:5-6 where it is written: "But it was our sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed Him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through His bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on Him, on Him." (MSG); thankful for the confidence, the peace that comes with a firm trust in our Father and His plan for me; thankful for the work He is doing in my life, day by day: thankful for this promise from Jeremiah 29:11 where it is written: "'... I know the plans I have for you,' says the Eternal, 'plans for peace, not evil, to give you a future and hope—never forget that.'" (VOICE); thankful for the warmth of sunlight through my window - like light from the Sun of Righteousness in my heart! I was thankful for fresh fruit that's available all year long; thankful for this promise from John 14:1-3, where these words of Jesus are written by one who heard Him say: "... Believe in God, and keep on believing in Me. My Father’s home is designed to accommodate all of you. If there were not room for everyone, I would have told you that. I am going to make arrangements for your arrival. I will be there to greet you personally and welcome you home, where we will be together." (VOICE);  thankful for resources that are sufficient for my needs (and a bit more to share) AND for the monthly replenishment that has not failed; thankful for the affirmation of Philippians 4:19 where a continuing providence is assured; thankful for the truth of these words that Jesus spoke: "... 'We are going to Jerusalem. The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the teachers of the law. He will be condemned to death, and the priests and teachers will turn Him over to the Romans, who will mock Him and flog Him and crucify Him. But on the third day, He will be raised from the dead to new resurrected life." (Matthew 20:18-19; VOICE); thankful to know the Creator's Sabbath remains, His chosen day of rest for all (Genesis 2:2-3; Mark 2:27-28); thankful as I consider the idea that while God often calls men to a mountain to meet with Him, He meets women where they are - in the wilderness (Genesis 16:7, ch. 21:17), at a well (John 4:4-7); in the home where she lives (Luke 10:38); and thankful for this admonition from Hebrews 12:1-2 where this is written: "Therefore, seeing that we are surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also cast away everything that presses down and the sin that so easily entangles. Let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking to Jesus - the Author and Finisher of our faith - Who, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross and despised the shame and is set at the right hand of the throne of God." (RGT).