Thanksgiving XI ~

8-14 September:  During the week just past, I have been thankful that my God is still God - whether in the valleys or on the high peaks of life, in the darkness or the sunlight; thankful for His unconditional love when I am foolish; 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); thankful for another day of life with brain function at an adequate level and digits responding appropriately - what an often taken-for-granted blessing!  I was thankful for memories of the beautiful things I have seen now still available in the galleries of my mind; thankful for the words of counsel from the apostle Paul, who wrote (in Titus 2:3-5): "Older women similarly are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor addicted to much wine, teaching what is right and good, so that they may encourage the young women to tenderly love their husbands and their children, to be sensible, pure, makers of a home [where God is honored], good-natured, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored" (Amplified Bible); thankful for the grandeur, the majestic beauty of the Camas Prairie in autumn harvest-time - how wonderful to live here!   I was thankful for the message Psalm 71 has for those of us who have come to our later years; thankful for the assurance that there is forgiveness for our failings - that our heavenly Father does not cast us away when we err, but "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9; New King James Version); thankful for another new day and the blessing of mercy and grace that come with it; thankful for the really impressive abilities of the laundry appliances across the hall - the clothes don't just get clean, they get "treated"; thankful for these words from Psalm 72:18-19: "May the Eternal God .... be blessed, for He alone works miracles and wonders! May His glorious name be blessed forever and the whole earth be filled with His eternal glory! Amen. Amen." (VOICE); thankful for sound sleep and a refreshed sense of well-being when morning comes; thankful for the blueberries and porridge that provided the wake-up meal today; thankful for this reminder from Psalm 74:12 and 16: ". . . God is my King of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth. The day is Yours, the night also is Yours; You have established and prepared the [starry] light and the sun." (Amplified Bible, Classic Edition); thankful for another Sabbath, the day the Creator dedicated as His own (Genesis 2:2-3); thankful for the ". . . exceeding great and precious promises . . . " (2 Peter 1:4) to be found in God's Word; and I was thankful for this Word's affirmation of God's love for sinners in John 3:16-17 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (New King James Version).