Thanksgiving IX ~

21-27 August:  In the past week, I have been thankful for the many ways my Father uses to provide all that I need; thankful for the delights of family and friends; and thankful for this message from Psalm 42:8 where we read: "By day the Lord shows his faithful love, and at night I have a song for Him—a prayer for the God of my life." (ERV); thankful for the everyday mercies God provides - counting these mercies brings increasing awareness of them!  I was thankful for August days that are more temperate than others I remember; thankful for the message of Romans 8:31-33 where it is written: "What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]." (Amplified Bible); thankful for the One who ". . .redeems my life from destruction. . . ." (Psalm 103:4); thankful the caution against living a "good" life for the wrong reasons; thankful for the words of Zechariah 4:6, the antidote and real reason to live a life that is an honor to our Creator: “... This is the message from the Lord...: ‘Your help will not come from your own strength and power. No, your help will come from my Spirit.’ This is what the Lord All-Powerful says." (Easy-to-Read Version); thankful for the dear lady who is my primary health-care provider; thankful to know of the Great Physician who created us with the ability to heal when there's good nutrition and adequate rest; thankful for these words, echoing my experience, from Psalm 116:1-2 where we read: " I love the Lord, because He hears [and continues to hear] my voice and my supplications (my pleas, my cries, my specific needs). Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live." (Amplified Bible); thankful for the privilege of prayer and for the confidence that each petition is heard and answered - for my best good, and for His glory; thankful for limbs that respond appropriately to my needs; thankful for the truth I've found it the affirmation I read in Psalm 119:165 where it is written: "Great peace have they who love Your law; nothing shall offend them or make them stumble." (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition); thankful for the Preparation Day's return so that I can be ready for the Sabbath when those holy hours begin as the sun goes down in the evening; thankful for the ability to sleep in when wakeful during the night hours - more and more the situation as years go by; thankful for this affirmation from 1 Thessalonians 5:9 where it is written: "... God has not destined us, His chosen, to face His wrath but to be the heirs of salvation through our Lord Jesus the Anointed, the Liberating King." (VOICE); and I am

SO thankful this morning for another Sabbath to celebrate the Creator and His marvelous work, with Bible study, praise, and worship thru' access to my church home via tech experts in this family; I was thankful that His salvation is available to everyone who is willing to put self aside and follow His ways; and thankful for these words from Isaiah 26:3: “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because she trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]" (Amplified Bible, adapted).