Thanksgiving VIII ~

 5-11 September:  This last week, I was thankful for the memory of a message from Lee Venden about seeing Jesus in the words of Revelation; thankful for this message from Psalm 119:63-65: "I am a friend to all who fear You and of those who keep Your Law. The earth is full of Your loving-kindness, O Lord. Teach me Your Law. You have done good to Your servant, O Lord, because of Your Word." (NLV);
thankful to see a new week begin with sunlight thru' my window as I rise; thankful for those in our government who are attempting to work FOR the people they serve; thankful for this promise from Isaiah 56:6-7 where we read: "The immigrants who have joined me, serving Me and loving My name, becoming my servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath without making it impure, and those who hold fast to my covenant: I will bring them to My holy mountain, and bring them joy in My house of prayer." (CEB); thankful for the freedom to breathe fresh air out of doors and to spend time in the warmth of the sunshine; thankful for vine-ripened tomatoes in our garden spots; thankful as I consider this promise found in John 14:23 where it is written: "Jesus answered, 'If people love me, they will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.'" (NCV); thankful to have gone with D.D.s to the city for visiting and shopping - trip completed with no dents or crashes PTL! I was thankful for D.D.'s gift in re-locating the garden where a ninety-something gardener sells his tomatoes at way below market prices; thankful for this assurance from Colossians 1:27-28 where it is written: " [God] decided to make known to them His blessing to the nations; the glorious riches of this mystery is the indwelling of the Anointed in you! The very hope of glory. We are preaching Him—spreading the Word to all with equal amounts of wise warning and instruction—so that, at the final judgment, we will be able to present everyone to the Creator fully mature because of what Jesus the Anointed, our Liberating King, has done." (VOICE); thankful that my God is still God - whether in the valleys or on the high peaks of life, in the darkness or the sunlight; thankful for His unconditional love when I am foolish; thankful for these words from Psalm 69: "O God, You know my folly and blundering; my sins and my guilt are not hidden from You. . . . as for me, my prayer is to You, O Lord. At an acceptable and opportune time, O God, in the multitude of Your mercy and the abundance of Your loving-kindness hear me, and in the truth and faithfulness of Your salvation answer me"(vss.5,13; AMPC); thankful for lists - the list prepared for reading, the one for tasks for the day, my daily prayer list, and others as needed; thankful for words of encouragement from other believers; thankful for these word of counsel for me from Titus 2:3-5 where we read: "... Older women should be reverent in behavior, and not be false accusers, not be enslaved to much wine, but teachers of good things, that they may teach the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, and to be self-controlled, pure, homemakers, good, ... that the word of God may not be dishonored." (MEV); thankful for the products of gardening, even on a small scale - as in the Gro-boxes on the patio; thankful for the reminder of the Preparation Day that is a weekly nudge to be ready to greet the Sabbath when the sun sinks below the horizon on Friday evening; thankful as I read this promise from Isaiah 46:3-4 where it is written: "It is you, not I, who have been carried from before you were born. Indeed, when you were still in the womb, I was taking care of you. And when you are old, I will still be there, carrying you. When your limbs grow tired, your eyes are weak, and your hair a silvery gray, I will carry you as I always have. I will carry you and save you." (VOICE); thankful to be celebrating a new Sabbath - on the day our Creator chose as a day to be with His people (Genesis 2:2-3); thankful for heavenly ministries in my behalf; and I was thankful to know that MY help is sourced in the Creator, as the psalmist said: "I lift up my eyes to the hills— from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth." (Psalm 121:1-2; NRSV).