Thanksgiving XI ~

 7-13 July:  In the past week, I was thankful to know a God who has power to change people - when we WANT to be changed; thankful to the One who gives hope to the hopeless, power to the faint, and a future with Him in place of emptiness; thankful for these beautiful words from Psalm 18:30 that reads: "As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him." (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition); thankful for the beauties of the earth - for the flowers that brighten my space, for cheerful bird-songs all around, for sunlit blue skies and the cloud-flocks that roam there - so much to enjoy!   I was thankful, too, for the blessings I find in the Psalms - even those reporting difficulties of all kinds are affirmations of trust in the One who is "a very present help in trouble"; thankful for life, and the measure of health and strength that remains; thankful for life - for a regular heartbeat, lungs efficiently moving oxygen in and CO2 out, mental processes essentially intact - all designed by the Master Creator; I was thankful for my anticipation of Jesus' return, He's coming again just as He promised; and I was thankful for the beautiful description of that event written by the apostle, Paul: ". . . The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; King James Version); thankful for the peace that fills my heart even in these somewhat unsettling days of change; for the blessings of family and friends;  thankful for my Father's promises never to leave or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5, Deuteronomy 31:6, 8; many versions); thankful for every new day of life in the fresh air above the ground - cannot take that for granted at ANY age, I suppose; thankful for all the promises in God's Word that every believer can claim and give thanks to the one who gave the promise; thankful to agree with these words from Jeremiah 32:17 where it is written: " Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too difficult or too wonderful for You—" (Amplified Bible); thankful for days filled with beauty that delights my eyes and heart; thankful for promises of a forever future with our Father, in a place where sin, sorrow, sickness, and death are eternally banished from our lives; thankful as I consider this passage from Isaiah 25:1 where it is written: "O Lord, You are my God. I will exalt You, I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things; Your plans formed of old are faithfulness and truth." (Modern English Version); thankful for another new day, with the strength He has provided to meet its needs; thankful for the measure of faith that has been endowed in each of us; and thankful for this wonderful promise: " Because she has set her love upon Me, therefore will I deliver her; I will set her on high, because she knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness—trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake her, no, never]. She shall call upon Me, and I will answer her; I will be with her in trouble, I will deliver her and honor her." Psalm 91:14-15; Amplified Bible, Classic Edition [my paraphrase]).