Thanksgiving X ~

26 March-1 April:  During the past week, I was thankful for sound sleep and the defragging that sleep provides for a weary brain; thankful to wake to a brand new day - with anticipation for the blessings that will come with the Women's Ministries gathering in the afternoon; thankful as I read again a favorite promise from God"s Word - in Ezekiel 11:19-20 where it is written: "I will give them a new heart and a new mind. I will take away their stubborn heart of stone and will give them an obedient heart. Then they will keep my laws and faithfully obey all my commands. They will be my people, and I will be their God." (Good News Translation); I was thankful for my children and the delightful "in-laws" they've added to the family, what blessings they bring to this old heart!  I was thankful, too, for the friends from near and far who brighten my days with their notes, e-mails, and fb posts; thankful for this message from Mark 5:19: " . . 'Go home to your friends,” He told him, “and tell them what wonderful things God has done for you; and how merciful He has been.'” (The Living Bible); thankful as I anticipated a little road trip with D.D. down to Riggins, my first Ida-home; thankful for sunlight, however weakly its beams are scattered; thankful as I peruse this message from 1 Timothy 2:5-6 where it is written: "... There is one God and one Mediator between God and us—the man Jesus, God’s Anointed, who gave His life as a ransom for all so that we might have freedom...." (VOICE); thankful for good news - that eternal "Good News!" shared in God's Word, and temporal good news of blessings shared by others (Thank You, Father!); thankful for the little journey that provided views of beautiful scenery along part of the Salmon River canyon, with the Bighorn Sheep, elk (both wild and on the game farm along the way), and deer that added interest; thankful as I consider this concept from 2 Corinthians 5:21 where it is written: "... God caused Christ, who Himself knew nothing of sin, actually to be sin for our sakes, so that in Christ we might be made good with the goodness of God." (Phillips); thankful to know that Jesus is coming again, to receive His friends from all the ages and transport us to His Father's house above (John 14:2; 1Thessalonians 4:16-17); thankful that all who believe on Jesus and His atonement for us are invited to go along; thankful for this truth from Isaiah 53:5-6 where it is written: "But it was our sins that did that to Him, that ripped and tore and crushed Him—our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through His bruises we get healed. We’re all like sheep who’ve wandered off and gotten lost. We’ve all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we’ve done wrong, on Him, on Him." (Message); thankful for warm shelter, for warm clothing; thankful for D.D.'s interest in gardening - planning and planting happening now; thankful for my Savior, who " was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him." (Isaiah 53:5-6; New American Standard Bible - what a blessing to have access to different translations and the foci they provide!); thankful for all those "exceeding great and precious promises" to be found in God's Word; thankful for the conviction the Father hears and answers prayers - not to give me all the things for which I ask, but in His far-seeing wisdom, all that is for my long-term good and for His glory; and I was thankful for this cautionary note from Psalm 14:1-2 where it is written: "That [person] is a fool who says ... 'There is no God!' Anyone who talks like that is warped and evil and cannot really be a good person at all. The Lord looks down from heaven on [us] to see if there are any who are wise, who want to please God." (The Living Bible).