Thanksgiving IX ~

23-29 October:  Thru' the past week, I was thankful for hope - the hope that is spoken of in God's Word and not just wishful dreaming; I was thankful for this example, from Psalm 31:24 is: "Be strong, all you who put your hope in the Lord. Never give up"; thankful for our "blessed hope" that the apostle Paul writes of in Titus 2:13: "Watch for His return; expect the blessed hope we all will share when our great God and Savior, Jesus the Anointed, appears again"(VOICE); thankful that delay isn't the end of the journey but only a temporary interruption of any process; thankful to live in a "four-seasons" climate and enjoying all the autumn color; thankful for the wisdom in Proverbs 9:10 that reads: "The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of wisdom [its starting point and its essence], And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding and spiritual insight" (Amplified Bible); thankful for eyes to see (and cognition sufficient to appreciate!) all the colors of autumn; thankful for all who are living life with a "Jesus, and others, then me" focus rather than the frequent "Me first" attitude so prevalent in our world today; always thankful as I read these words from a favorite passage of Scripture: "Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 5:19-20; King James Version); thankful for the real life adventures that can be found in books - on my shelves and in libraries - much more affordable than any travel, and available to all who read; thankful to have eyes to read - need no glasses except for far vision (and I don't drive anymore!); thankful for the assurance of God's Word - "Every scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing mistakes, for correcting, and for training character, so that the person who belongs to God can be equipped to do everything that is good" (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Common English Bible); thankful to have the special memory of a dear pastor/friend sharing the verbatim recitation of the book of Hebrews that he had committed to memory - SO much different than hearing those words READ! I was thankful for our Father's willingness to forgive all that we confess to Him (1 John 1:9); thankful for this affirmation from Hebrews 4:12 where it is written: "For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart." (Amplified Bible); thankful to wake up early and start the laundry; thankful for the wall-heater that provides toasty warmth in the room where I get a shower; thankful for the message of God's plans for us as found in Isaiah 66:22 where we read: "The Lord says, 'I will make a new world—new heavens and a new earth—that will last forever. In the same way, your names and your children will always be with me.'" (Easy-to-Read Version); thankful for the gentle light of early morning, for eyes to see, and the ability to perceive that beauty; thankful for waking with a prayer in my heart; and I was thankful for this exhortation from Romans 11:36-12:1 where it is written: "... Everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. All glory to Him forever! And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him." (New Living Translation).