Thanksgiving X ~

 3-9 September:  During the past week, I was thankful for the lovely visit with new friends who are part of the Maranatha group that will be helping in our church expansion project for the next couple of weeks - what a blessing!  I was thankful for the beginning of a new week, awaiting the blessings that will unfold morning by morning; thankful for the message of Isaiah 48:16-17:: "Come even closer, and hear: from the beginning I spoke, not hiding away in hushed secret. I AM and will be; I was before anything was at all....The Eternal One, who rescued you, the Holy One ...I AM the Eternal One your God. I have given you My instruction for living well and right, leading you in how you should be and do.'" (VOICE); thankful  for the blessing of reconnection with friends from my former church home (Paradise SDA Church, in Las Vegas,NV); thankful for the ". . . ties that bind our hearts . . . ." with the hearts of believers from others places, other denominations - all sisters and brothers in the family of God: thankful for the words of the Apostle Paul, who counseled us to "Keep and follow the pattern of sound teaching (doctrine) which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. Guard [with greatest care] and keep unchanged, the treasure [that precious truth] which has been entrusted to you [that is, the good news about salvation through personal faith in Christ Jesus], through [the help of] the Holy Spirit who dwells in us" (2 Timothy 1:13-14, Amplified Bible); thankful to see a new day 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." (Common English Bible); thankful to the Creator for an optimistic outlook - I've read from God's Word the story of how the Lamb wins (Revelation 21:6-7); I was thankful for the Gro-boxes D.D. has installed, now providing a bountiful harvest; thankful for this counsel from John 14:23-24 where we read: "‘If anyone loves Me,' Jesus replied, ‘they will keep My word. My father will love them, and We will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who doesn’t love Me won’t keep My word. And the word which you hear isn’t Mine. It comes from the Father, who sent Me.' " (New Testament for Everyone); thankful for the continuing ministry of Jesus - for all who chose to accept adoption into the family of God - as revealed in God's Word; thankful for the faithfulness of our Father in keeping His Word through the years; thankful for this message from 2 Timothy 3:16: "Everything in the Scriptures is God’s Word. All of it is useful for teaching and helping people and for correcting them and showing them how to live" (Contemporary English Version); thankful for opportunities to share the love of our Savior and soon coming King with others - though pretty much home-bound, the internet is a wonderful tool to use in accomplishing this; I was thankful for the forecast of autumn showers ahead - and praying the forecast proves accurate; thankful for these words from Psalm 69:5,13 - "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" (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition); so thankful for another Sabbath day, a day to celebrate with the Creator the beauty of the the world He made for us; thankful that I've responded to His bidding and followed where He is leading; and I was thankful for this counsel from Titus 2:3-5 where we read: "...Tell the older women to be reverent in their behavior, teaching what is good, rather than being gossips .... That way they can mentor young women to love their husbands and children, and to be sensible, morally pure, working at home... so that God’s word won’t be ridiculed." (Contemporary English Bible).