23-29 May:  During the past week, I have been thankful for the D.D. who is an animal lover par excellence, and has been she was a little child, nurturing anything from daddy-long-legs and ladybugs to little kittens, stray dogs, goats, and horses; I was thankful for each new day of life; thankful for this counsel from Romans 15:1-2 where it is written: "Even if we believe that it makes no difference to the Lord whether we do these things, still we cannot just go ahead and do them to please ourselves; for we must bear the “burden” of being considerate of the doubts and fears of others—of those who feel these things are wrong. Let’s please the other fellow, not ourselves, and do what is for his good and thus build him up in the Lord." (TLB); thankful to wake up to see the sun rise over the hilltop east of my window; thankful to remember the words to several songs about sunlight/sunshine that were favorites in younger years; thankful for this word picture from 2 Samuel 23:3-4 where it is written: "... 'When one rules over men righteously, ruling in the fear of God, He dawns on them like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass springs out of the earth through clear shining after rain.'" (AMPC); thankful for the privileges of being a homebody - no requirement to clock-in for a job, but there are always little opportunities to give assistance to others thru' the day; thankful for the spirit of helpfulness in the others who share this residence; thankful for this admonition from James 1:19 where it is written: "Understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters. Let everyone be quick to hear [be a careful, thoughtful listener], slow to speak [a speaker of carefully chosen words and], slow to anger [patient, reflective, forgiving]." (AMP); thankful for another day and its blessings; thankful that sunshine is real even when there are showers all around - much like the way blessings can be found in spite of life's difficulties!  I was thankful, so thankful for the precious message of John 3:17 that tells us: ". . . God did not send-forth the Son into the world in order that He might judge the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him." (DLNT); thankful that the contractor has begun his work on the lower level of our residence; thankful for sunlight filtering thru' leaves on the tree outside my window; thankful as I think on these words from Habakkuk 3:17-18 where we read: "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!" (NLT); thankful for the wonderful little helper who has been part of the family for the past year or so; thankful for another preparation day, getting ready for the arrival of the Sabbath as the sun sets in the evening; thankful for these words from Isaiah 66:22-23 that tell us Sabbath is an event for all time: "Because just as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making will go on by My enduring will, so your name and the people who come from you will go on as well. From one month to the next, on Sabbath after Sabbath, everyone, every living thing, will come to this holy place to honor Me as God of all. This is My word to you." (VOICE); thankful to be waking to another Sabbath morning sunrise on the prairie here in north-central Idaho; thankful for reading material to while-away sleepless hours in the night - right now I'm working through Ellen G.White's Sermons and Talks Vol. II; and I was thankful for these beautiful words from Psalm 103:17-18 where they are written: "... The unfailing love of the Eternal is always and eternal for those who reverently run after Him. He extends His justice on and on to future generations, to those who will keep His bond of love and remember to walk in the guidance of His commands."(VOICE).