Thanksgiving XI ~

11-24 August:  Over the past two weeks, I have been thankful for peaceful mornings with sunlight painting the hills around me - makes me think of the verse in Lamentations 3 where Jeremiah writes of new mercies coming every morning; I was thankful for green grapes in the fridge; thankful for another text that comes to mind (John 15:1-2) where Jesus compares Christian believers to branches on a vine, and how our heavenly Father, the "vinedresser", uses life events to prune us so that we will produce more good fruit - thankful for this and for many other object lessons from nature's lesson book.  I was thankful for the messages in the Word where the Creator's plan for this planet are revealed and we are warned to be ready for many changes from life here and now; thankful for another sunshine-y morning; thankful for these words from 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: " You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own. God paid a great price for you. So use your body to honor God" (Common English Version); thankful to see patches of blue through cloudy skies; thankful to be reminded of a favorite old hymn, "Victory In Jesus!"; thankful for the precious message from Ephesians 2:8-10 where we read: "For by grace you are saved through faith. And this is not from you. It is the gift of God— not of works, in order that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, having been created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared-beforehand in order that we might walk in them." (Disciples' Literal New Testament); thankful to have the little devices that fit in my ears and allow me to hear more of what's happening around me; thankful that my vision is good - only need correction when viewing a screen farther away (the big TV on the wall in the living room); thankful to the Creator "... Who put me together inside my mother’s body, and I praise You because of the wonderful way You created me. Everything You do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt." (Psalm 139:13-14; Contemporary English Version); thankful for traveling mercies for D.D. and myself as we went to and from a visit to one of her brothers; thankful for my dear grandkids - each one - near and half-the-world-around from here; thankful as I read this affirmation from Psalm 16:8-9 where it is written: "I always remember that the Lord is with me. He is here, close by my side, so nothing can defeat me. So my heart and soul will be very happy...." (Easy to Read Version); thankful for the many ways my Father uses to provide all that I need; thankful for the delights of family and friends; thankful for this message from Psalm 42:8 where we read: "By day the Lord shows his faithful love, and at night I have a song for Him—a prayer for the God of my life." (Easy to Read Version); thankful for the everyday mercies God provides - counting these mercies brings increasing awareness of them!  I was thankful for August days that are more temperate than others I remember; thankful for the message of Romans 8:31-33 where it is written: "What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us? He who did not spare [even] His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect (His chosen ones)? It is God who justifies us [declaring us blameless and putting us in a right relationship with Himself]." (Amplified Bible); thankful to see the dustless shelves in the bookcase over the desk where I am writing; thankful for the privilege of praying for those with special needs; thankful to read these words from 1 John 5:14-15:      "We have such confidence in Him that we are certain that He hears every request that is made in accord with His own plan. And since we know that He invariably gives His attention to our prayers, whatever they are about, we can be quite sure that our prayers will be answered." (PHILLIPS); thankful for a new day of celebration of the Sabbath, the day our Creator chose as His own "in the beginning" (and He's NEVER changed it!); thankful for recovering health in my children who are dealing with illness;  thankful to agree with this message from Psalm 116:1-2 where it is written: "I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications. Because He inclined His ear to me, therefore I will call on Him as long as I live." (Revised Standard Version).