Thanksgiving X ~

 24-30 September:  In the past week, I was thankful for each new day, for the blessings of peace and contentment that came with them; thankful for the pattern of the Master's footsteps we've been given to make His way clear for our feet; thankful for this assurance: "Surely His salvation is near to those who [reverently] fear Him [and obey Him with submissive wonder], that glory [the manifest presence of God] may dwell in our {hearts}" (Psalm 85:9; Amplified Bible, adapted); thankful for the blessings to be found as I read the Bible - surely the apostle was right when he wrote that the Scriptures are "profitable" to all of us; thankful for God's promise to work in us - to give us new hearts (Jeremiah 24:7; Ezekiel 36:25-27,29);  thankful for His promise that is recorded in Jeremiah 29:11-12 where we read: "...'I know the plans I have for you'—this is the Lord’s declaration—'plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. You will call to me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.'" (Christian Standard Bible); thankful for the assurance that this world is not my home, I'm just passing through (John 14:1-3); thankful for word pictures of the home being prepared for me (Isaiah 11:4-8; ch.65:17-25; Revelation 21:1-5; 10-27; ch.22:1-5); thankful for the promise in Deuteronomy 33:25, ". . . as thy days, so shall thy strength be." (King James Version); thankful for the thought that I am not what others might say I am, nor even what I THINK I am - but I am who the Creator SAYS I am, in Christ Jesus; I was thankful for all those who are my ever present friends, including those on fb; thankful for these words from Proverbs 27:9: "The heart is delighted by the fragrance of oil and sweet perfumes, and in just the same way, the soul is sweetened by the wise counsel of a friend." (VOICE); giving thanks each morning for that "everlasting love" with which I am drawn ever closer to our Father (Jeremiah 31:3); thankful for the certainty that there IS absolute truth, and that it is revealed in the life and teachings of Jesus; thankful for a life filled with enough; thankful for the purpose given for my life in God's Word - 1 Peter 2:9: "... that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light"; thankful that the Creator has already planned "good works" for me (Ephesians 2:10); thankful for this message from 2 Peter 1:3: "His divine power has given us everything we need to experience life and to reflect God’s true nature through the knowledge of the One who called us by His glory and virtue." (VOICE); thankful for another Sabbath, the day our Creator chose to commemorate His work; thankful for the love with which I am surrounded from above and on all sides; and I was thankful for this counsel from Philippians 1:9-10 where we read: "So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God." (Message).