Thanksgiving XI ~

 14-20 January:  In the past week, I have been thankful to see the different avian visitors at the feeders outside my window; thankful for blueberries and a waffle for my breakfast; thankful for this message from Ezekiel 11:19-20: "... I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey My decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be My people, and I will be their God." (New Living Translation); thankful that there's no more snow forecast as we made our way north for the appointment with the audiologist who's fine-tuning my new ears; thankful for the guiding, convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit in my life; thankful to read this message from Jesus in John 8:31-32 where it is written: "If you hear My voice and abide in My word, you are truly My disciples; you will know the truth, and that truth will give you freedom." (VOICE); thankful for the messages in the Word, its guidelines for a life of blessing; thankful for all the evidences of our loving Creator in the natural world around us; thankful, too, for all the promises therein, especially those where God says, "I will . . . ." (see Ezekiel 36:26 as an example); thankful to have the words of a little scripture song running through my brain - "The fruit of the Spirit is love - joy, peace, long-suffering . . . ." - a beautiful way to start the morning; I was thankful that all my systems are up and running; thankful, too, for the wise counsel found in Philippians 2:14-16: "Do everything without grumbling and arguing so that you may be blameless and pure, innocent children of God surrounded by people who are crooked and corrupt. Among these people you shine like stars in the world because you hold on to the word of life . . . ." (Common English Bible); thankful for the assurance that Jesus is coming again - and SOON - to waken saints who are sleeping and lift us, together with them, up to be with Him forever (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17); I was thankful to have known many of these saints through my lifetime, may all who come behind us find US as faithful as they; thankful for this message from 1 Corinthians 10:13: " Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps His promise, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, He will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out" (Good News Translation); thankful for our heavenly Father's faithfulness - even when we are not being true to Him, He keeps His promises; I was thankful for all the ways I am blessed each day - the warmth of this shelter from winter weather, the abundant provision for nutritional needs, the awareness of the Creator God who loves each of us and wants us to be with Him forever; and, remembering the words of "wise men" who have said, "Don't do to others what you would not want them to do to you", I was thankful for the positive spin of Jesus' words in Matthew 7:12 where He says: “Treat other people exactly as you would like to be treated by them—this is the essence of all true religion" (PHILLIPS).