Thanksgiving IX ~

13-19 March:  This week, I was thankful for the longer evening hours that come with Daylight Saving Time - would much prefer it stayed thru' the winter when darkness begins at mid-afternoon! I was thankful for the dear-daughter who fills the feeders outside my window with seeds to sate appetites of hungry avian friends; thankful as I consider this thought from Luke 12:24 where this is written: "Look at the birds. They do not plant seeds. They do not gather grain. They have no grain buildings for keeping grain. Yet God feeds them. Are you not worth more than the birds?" (New Life Version). Yes, we can be His hands to feed the birds - and in so many other ways!  I was thankful to know I am a daughter of the King (John 1:12); thankful for my internet connections with family and friends in so many different places (and for those who read these "Thanksgiving ...." posts, may you be blessed!); thankful for this counsel from 2 Peter 1:5-8 where it is written: (We must receive His grace, grow in knowledge, and join Him in this work of redemption.) "To achieve this, you will need to add virtue to your faith, and then knowledge to your virtue; to knowledge, add discipline; to discipline, add endurance; to endurance, add godliness; to godliness, add affection for others as sisters and brothers; and to affection, at last, add love. For if you possess these traits and multiply them, then you will never be ineffective or unproductive in your relationship with our Lord Jesus the Anointed." (VOICE); thankful for another day of life and the measure of health that remains as I'm nearing completion of my eighty-third circuit of the earth-star; thankful that my six off-spring are all living, well past "middle-age" and all having moved past significant challenges to their health (all praise to Him who reigns above!); thankful for the affirmation in these words from 3 John, verse two, where we read: "Dear friend, I am praying that all is well with you and that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is." (The Living Bible); thankful to extend birthday greetings to one of my three dear sons, Robert, with praise to our Creator for restoring him to health; thankful as I read these words from the Bible, "... I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds, says the Lord ...." Jeremiah 30:17; thankful to consider this passage from Isaiah 58:7-8 where it is written: "Is it not a time to share your food with the hungry, and bring the poor man into your house who has no home of his own? Is it not a time to give clothes to the person you see who has no clothes, and a time not to hide yourself from your own family? Then your light will break out like the early morning, and you will soon be healed. Your right and good works will go before you. And the shining-greatness of the Lord will keep watch behind you." (New Life Version); thankful to see the sunlight streaming thru' my window - sunshine ALWAYS makes me happy (thank You, Father, for putting Your Sonshine in my heart!); thankful for D.D. taking care of my laundry while we're waiting the new machines (now in transit); thankful for David's description of our Good Shepherd in Psalm 23:1-3 where this is written: "The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need. He lets me rest in fields of green grass. He leads me beside the quiet waters. He makes me strong again. He leads me in the way of living right with Himself which brings honor to His name." (New Life Version); thankful for the privilege of service, service in even small opportunities; thankful that Jesus sees my little efforts for others as service for Him (Matthew 25:40); thankful as I ponder these words from Romans 15:13 where they are written: "May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in your faith, that by the power of the Holy Spirit, your whole life and outlook may be radiant with hope." (PHILLIPS); thankful to enjoy another Sabbath, the Lord's Day as chosen by the Creator when He finished preparing the earth for the people who would live on it (Genesis 2:2-3); thankful that worship services are available on the internet for those who are housebound; and   thankful for the words in Galatians 5:22-23 where we are told: "The Holy Spirit produces a different kind of fruit: unconditional love, joy, peace, patience, kindheartedness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. You won’t find any law opposed to fruit like this." (VOICE).