Thanksgiving XII ~

20-26 April:  During the past week, I was thankful for the assurances of our Father's great love for each of His children; thankful for each day with sunny skies in the forecast; thankful for the message of Zechariah 13:9 that reads: "Then I will purify them and put them to the test, just as gold and silver are purified and tested. They will pray in my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'You are my people,' and they will reply,'You, Lord, are our God!'” (Common English Version); thankful for more sun shine; thankful for angel companions who whisper words of correction and encouragement to me; thankful for the affirmation and promise found in John 10:28-30 where it is written: "I give them a life that is unceasing, and death will not have the last word. Nothing or no one can steal them from My hand. My Father has given the flock to Me, and He is superior to all beings and things. No one is powerful enough to snatch the flock from My Father’s hand. The Father and I are one." (VOICE); thankful for re-engaging with W.W. - a program which has adapted in many ways since its beginning and now is friendly to those who choose a P.B.W.F. (plant-based whole-foods) style of eating; thankful, as always, to see the sunbeams dancing outside my window; and thankful for the message of Psalm 30:4-5 where it is written: "Sing praise to the Lord, you saints of His, and give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name. For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life;Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." (New King James Version); thankful for the privilege of prayer - prayer for family and friends, for all those in local,state, and federal government positions (and the leaders of nations 'round the world!); thankful for the promise in John 14:13-14 that as we pray in Jesus' name our prayers are answered; thankful to read this "exceeding great and precious" promise from Jeremiah 31:33-35 where it is written: "... 'This is the covenant which I will make ... after those days', says the Lord: 'I will put My law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,' says the Lord; 'for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.'” (Revised Standard Version); I was thankful for God's perfect peace, peace that passes all understanding, that He gives in difficult situations; thankful for this thought from Tim Hansel: "Happiness is a FEELING; joy is an ATTITUDE, a posture,a position, a place."; thankful to agree with these words from Isaiah 25:1 where they are written: "O Lord, You are my God. I will praise You. I will give thanks to Your name. For You have been faithful to do great things, plans that You made long ago." (New Life Version);

thankful for a fresh lemon to juice for my regular morning libation (hot water plus a couple tbsp. of lemon juice); thankful to be able to see the leaf buds on the Horse-chestnut swelling - getting ready to burst, and produce the beautiful blossom clusters that tell me spring is REALLY here; thankful for the message of Colossians 1:27-28, where it is written: "God wanted to make the glorious riches of [His] secret plan known among the Gentiles, which is Christ living in you, the hope of glory. This is what we preach as we warn and teach every person with all wisdom so that we might present each one mature in Christ." (Common English Bible) - I'm no "preacher", but I AM one who believes we are all, as believers, called to share God's good news in our circles of family and friends!  And I was thankful for the blessing of the Sabbath - the pause in our busy round of everyday activities that refreshes my spirit and promotes relationship with the eternal; thankful for all the "whosoever" promises of Jesus - they surely include me; and I was thankful for the multitude of everyday blessings that grace my life.