Thankful 13....

I am thankful for thermostats.

I am thankful it is so easy to change the temperature in my house.  I am thankful to be cool enough, and thankful to be warm enough.

That little device regulates the environment of my home. 





I am thankful for the Holy Spirit of God.  His Presence and power regulates the environment of my spirit.  He keeps me cool when things in my life heat up.  He keeps me warm when I am chilled to the bone with anxiety, dread, or fear. He is able to do all that and more....

......if I ask, allow, and obey. 

 "Dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.

  Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt;   snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.
To Him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before hHs glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior, be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen  (Jude 1:20-25)


Hallelujah.

Thankful 12...

I am thankful for healing.


Some time back, while slicing tomatoes, I sliced a piece of my thumb off.  Literally. 

There was nothing to do except stop the bleeding and wait for new skin to grow over the raw flesh. I protected it, I attended it, did everything I could do to avoid further problems....infection or breaking the wound open again...

Today, by careful inspection, it is detectable that my thumb is misshapen in that place. Consequences of the injury.  (You could see it if I pointed it out to you.)

Today, that thumb feels different.  Consequences of the injury.  (You can't see that, and neither can I....but I am always aware of it.) 

I am thankful that my body can heal.  And even though there are consequences that remain from injuries, bodies can be restored. Some consequences are more obvious than others, some hinder more than others.....damage may remain, but healing is possible.  Restoration is possible.






More than physical healing, I am thankful for spiritual healing.  Every single one of us need it....not just me.

Each of us have a spiritual disease.  Simply put, it is sin.

Sin has caused pain and injury..it has damaged relationships. It cuts and steals away vital parts of our soul.  It makes our spirits bleed and robs us of joy, even life.



You can't be perfect. I don't care who you are or how strong willed you are, you can't be perfect. (And let's be clear....the standard of perfection is God.  Not anyone God granted life to...)

So, that leaves us all in a predicament.  We have the disease.  We are injured.  Broken.

The consequences are often visible....often not. The damage sin wreaks  leaves us vulnerable to further pain and injury. 

Our wounds break open again. Again and again we tend that same wound, trying to bring about healing, trying to fix it, only to have it manifest in another area. 

You can't heal yourself of sin.

But there is One Who can.  He went to such great length to make healing available. And I am so very thankful.

 I am thankful for my healing.  And for yours...



(...and by the way, don't slice tomatoes on a mandoline slicer without the vegetable gaurd.....)

Thankful 11..

I am thankful for soldiers. 

I am thankful I have not had to fill those shoes.

I purpose to tell at least one of them personally. Today.

Thankful 10...

I am thankful for mobility.

I am thankful that I can walk and even run. (...if I have to !)
I am thankful for hands that have served me in my work for almost 40 years.


I am thankful for vehicles that carry me where I want/need to go, both on the ground and across it in the air.

I am thankful I am not confined to one single place day in, day out, hour after hour.  City, house, chair, or bed.

I am thankful my fingers can type these words and strike notes on a piano or work a shear and hairbrush.

I am thankful for knees that bend without excruciating pain.

My body is not as young as it was, but it is still very mobile.  And I am so thankful. 

Thankful 9...

I am thankful for simplicity. 

Life can get so terribly complicated. 

Today, I am thankful for simple pleasures.



Family.

Home.

Good food.

Good company.

Simple pleasures.

Thankful 8....

I am thankful for music.     ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪

I think every year when I count down to Thanksgiving, I again am deliberately thankful for music.  (...several other things are regularly on the list...)    ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫

There is power in music....power that can unleash all sorts of emotions, or change them. 

Music communicates love, praise, worship     ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫
 Fear, anxiety, anger.    ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫
Joy, laughter, pleasure.       ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫
Submission or rebellion.      ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫

If you don't agree....try watching a movie without a soundtrack.  (...if you can find one, I doubt you can....)

I am thankful to have learned what little I know about music. I am thankful to be able to play instruments the little I can.  I am thankful to be able to 'carry a tune in a bucket'....to sing with the limited talent that I have.        ♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫

Most of all, I am thankful to have learned how to channel the power of music and direct it in positive ways.  Praising the Creator God who is the Master Mind of it all....it was all His idea. 

And what a great one !! 

♪♫  ♫♪♫♪  ♫  ♫♪♫  ♪♫♫♪  ♫♪♫ ♫♪  ♫♪♫    ♫♪♫♪♫   ♫♪♫ ♪♫  ♫♪♫♪   ♫♫♪ ♫♪♫   ♫♪♫♪♫   ♫♪  ♫♪♫ ♫♪ ♫♪♫♫   ♪♫♪♫♫  ♪♫♪♫♫♪♫   ♪♫♫♪ ♫♪♫♫♪♫♪    ♫♫♪♫♪♫ ♫♪ ♫♪♫♪♫ ♫♪♫♪♫♫♪♫♪ ♫♫♪ ♫♪ ♫♫♪♫

Thankful 7...

I am thankful for my citizenship. 

I was born in the state of Washington.  I am a citizen of the United States of America.

I was re-born in Jesus Christ.  I am a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Hallelujah. 


My hope is in Him.
He has changed my life.
He is still on His throne today.
I am still His child, a sheep of His pasture.
Nothing surprises Him.
Nothing robs Him of His power.
His will is accomplished.  In His time.

Hallelujah.


My faith is not in man.
My faith is not in government.
My faith is not in a nation.
My faith is not in an army.
My faith is not in a society.
My faith is not in religion.

My faith is in Elohim, Creator God Almighty.
My faith is in El Roi, the God Who sees me.  In every detail.
My faith is in El Olan, the everlasting and eternal God.  His Reign does not end.
My faith is in Jehovah Jireh, The Lord Who provides.
My faith is in Jehovah Nissi, and He is my banner.


My peace is provided by Jehovah Shalom, The Lord is peace.  There is no other true peace.
My security and rock is Jehovah Tsuri.  He is unchanging and stable.  There is no other stability.

Today, I am thankful to be a child of the King of glory.
Today, I am thankful to have an inheritance and home in His land of plenty.
Today, I am thankful to be protected and provided for in His kingdom.  I live there now.

Hallelujah.