Thanksgiving VIII ~

4-10 July:  During the past week, I have been thankful as I considered the blessings the Creator has placed on this country that has offered life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to many from other parts of our world (may it TRULY offer such blessings to all within its borders!); I was thankful for all the remaining freedoms that still exist; and thankful for these words from Jesus while He was here - He said, "... 'I tell you most solemnly that anyone who chooses a life of sin is trapped in a dead-end life and is, in fact, a slave..... [But] if the Son sets you free, you are free through and through.'" (John 8:35-36; MSG); thankful for every day of life and the blessing of health that is much better than I deserve; thankful that I can still manage the "activities of daily living" impossible for many as they grow older; thankful as I meditate on this thought from Isaiah 12:3-4 where it is written: "[One day] you will say, 'Praise the Lord and call out His name! Tell everyone what He has done and how wonderful He is.' Sing songs of praise about the Lord, because He has done great things. Spread this news about God throughout the whole world. Let all people know these things." (ERV); thankful for all those who've recorded the beauties of our planet in photos, in music; thankful for the researchers who dug out the stories of words and tunes for the SDA Church Hymnal Companion; thankful for the message of Matthew 24:35 which tells us: "[My words are always true and always here with you.] Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away." (VOICE); thankful for the privileges of retirement - one of those being no need to punch a time clock when sleep doesn't come as soon as I go to bed; thankful for the helpers who come to assist the eldest D.D. with activities of daily living on weekday mornings; thankful to consider these words from Psalm 18:29-30 where we read: "God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?" (NLT); thankful for the mental de-fragmentation that comes with sleep; thankful we can start every new day with a clean slate (1 John 1:9); thankful for the truth of this message from Psalm 138:1-2 where it is written: "To You, Lord, I give my whole heart, a heart filled with praise, for I am grateful; before the gods, my heart sings praises to You and You alone. I bow before You ... and praise Your name, for Your unfailing love and Your truth; for You have placed Your name and Your word over all things and all times." (VOICE);  thankful for the Word of God, the Holy Bible - active, powerful, life-giving; thankful to be able to perceive a bit of the beauty of His holiness; thankful as I consider the blessing in Ephesians 2:20-21: "Now to the God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine through the power at work in us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen." (VOICE); thankful for life - for a regular heartbeat, lungs efficiently moving oxygen in and CO2 out, mental processes essentially intact - all designed by the Creator; thankful for the anticipation of Jesus' return, He's coming again just as He promised; and thankful for the beautiful description of that event written by the apostle, Paul: ". . . 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." (1 Thessalonians 4:16,17; KJV); thankful for the programs available for worship when sleeplessness in the night make me unready for worship with my church family; thankful for the Hope TV, 3ABN, It Is Written, and the various other media ministries I can access via my computer; and I was thankful for this message from Philippians 1:6 where we read: "I am convinced and confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will [continue to] perfect and complete it until the day of Christ Jesus [the time of His return]." (AMP).