Thankful Thursday

it's been a good day

time with family reflecting on God's good gifts

so thankful for the chance to connect with those I love

the weatherman proved himself incapable of predicting the weather again

although there was a thunderstorm when I first got up this morning, the day cleared off nicely

thankful for a chance to go to the park and take a nice stroll 

thankful for the beauty of God's creation and for eyesight to be able to enjoy it

I'm thankful for good food to eat, and for discipline to resist overindulging

I'm thankful for time in the wood shop with my son 

I'm thankful for the gift of music

God tells me that He is my strength and my song and He encourages me to sing a new song to Him, a song of praise

I'm thankful for the songs He gives me to sing

I'm thankful for a long weekend

thankful for refreshing time away from the rigors of work

I'm thankful for God's unchanging love for me

thankful for His greatest gift, the sacrifice of His Son as payment for my sin

I'm thankful He has adopted me into His family

thankful for the right to be called His child

I'm thankful Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life

thankful He provides a way to the Father

I'm thankful He is the Bread of Life, and Living Water

thankful He satisfies my hunger and thirst

I'm thankful God doesn't deal with me as my sin deserves, but rather offers forgiveness and cleansing

I'm thankful God is my provider

thankful He has given me everything I need for life and godliness

I'm thankful for His transforming power at work in my life

it's not always comfortable, but it is always for my good and His glory

I'm thankful God is patient and kind

thankful He is slow to anger

I'm thankful God is merciful

thankful I'm a recipient of His grace

Thankful Thursday

it's been a troubling year

the pandemic has brought out the best and worst in people

and I'm not sure on which side of the line I fall

there is so much about what's happening that I don't agree with

and yet God's principles for respecting and obeying those in authority still hold true

knowing how to flesh that out continues to create a tension in my spirit

in the midst of all that, I still know I have much to be thankful for

I have a God who never changes

His love for me is everlasting

He offers me grace and mercy in abundance

He gives me songs of praise to sing daily

I'm thankful for God's patience with me

I'm thankful He knows my heart

I'm thankful He calls me His son

I'm thankful God is my strength

thankful He wakes me up each morning, giving me life and breath

I'm thankful God chooses to use me in His service 

I often feel very unworthy of that calling, but He reminds me it's not about me

I'm God's ambassador, pointing people to the work of Christ on the cross, not myself

I'm thankful for my family

God has blessed me with children and grandchildren

He gave me a pair of brothers and a pair of sisters who support me in my journey

He showered me with favor in giving me my wonderful wife

and threw in my in-laws as a bonus

I'm thankful God answers prayer

it's been encouraging to see Him work in specific ways recently as I've brought my requests to Him

I'm thankful for shelter

It was pretty cold this morning, and there was a stiff breeze blowing

I had to work out in it for a few hours and my hands were getting numb from the cold

it reminded me how thankful I am to have a roof over my head and a furnace to keep our house warm

I'm thankful for food

I'll admit it: I really enjoy eating!

I'm thankful for my wife who gets up each morning and packs my lunch and usually has delicious meals ready for me to eat when I come home from work

I'm thankful for God's word

thankful it is living and active

thankful God reveals Himself in His word, and gives instruction on how I can be more like Him

I'm thankful for opportunities to share His word with others

I'm thankful for sleep, which is what I need to do now.

Thankful Thursday

as I pause this evening and reflect on the goodness of my God I'm reminded of the ten lepers

all of them were healed, but only one returned to express his gratitude to Jesus

I find that it is very easy to be like those other nine

I'm full of requests for my Savior, but often am so focused on the next ask that I don't take the time to say thanks

I am thankful God hears and responds to my prayers

I'm thankful He doesn't always say yes

I'm thankful He knows my needs even better than I do, and sometimes recognizes that what I'm asking for would not be beneficial

I'm thankful God knows my heart

the prophet Ezekiel informs us that our hearts are deceitful and desperately wicked

and that is true

at times my heart tries to lead me down a path of destruction

but God is transforming my heart

He wants to give me a new heart that yearns for Him

but I need to receive that, not fight against it

God is mindful of the struggle 

Jesus Himself had that same struggle in the garden the night He was crucified

wanting an escape from what was coming, and yet submitting to the Father's will rather than pursuing His own

I'm thankful Jesus had that kind of obedience

thankful He went to the cross, took my sin and shame on His shoulders, experienced God's wrath over sin in my place

I'm thankful for the forgiveness that is available to me because of His sacrifice

I'm thankful God now sees me through the filter of Jesus' blood

thankful He separates me from my sin

I'm thankful God has given me everything I need for life and godliness

so grateful I can now walk in newness of life

I'm thankful God's mercy is new every morning

I'm thankful He is faithful

even when I'm faithless, He remains the same

I'm thankful God's truth is not dependent on my belief

His character does not allow for any shift

I'm thankful God is not an insecure being, hoping for the acknowledgement of His people

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever

He doesn't need me or anyone else to give Him a pep talk to continue being God

I'm thankful for God's word, living and active and piercing in its truth

thankful for the way God uses His word to guide my thoughts

thankful for the instruction He gives in His word

I'm thankful God is a generous giver

one of His good gifts to me is the friendships He has blessed me with

I'm thankful for those who walk this journey of life with me

thankful for the way God is using them to encourage me in my walk with Him

I'm thankful God has made me a part of His story

grateful He has called me out of darkness to experience His glorious light

Thankful Thursday

As I pause this evening to consider what I have to be thankful for my heart is full

I have seen God working, so thankful for that!

thankful He gives me eyes to see and ears to hear His voice

I've been challenged and encouraged by God's word the last couple of weeks in some specific areas I sense God pushing me to allow His transforming work to bring change and healing

I'm thankful for the power of God's word

thankful for His patience with me as I stumble along in this life

thankful that God holds me in His hand, and although I do stumble at times, I am not hurled headlong because He is the One who holds and supports me

I'm thankful for music, and the ability to use music as a form of worship

I'm thankful God gives me a song

the psalmist says that God is our strength and our song

I'm thankful that I have been experiencing both of these truths recently

Work has been challenging and physically taxing, but relying on God, I have been able to keep plugging away

I'm thankful for the expression of God's favor in my life; specifically as seen in my wife

so grateful for the companion she is as we journey together

I'm very thankful for all that she does to make my life enjoyable

I tend to be a messy person, but our home does not reflect that.  She is quite the opposite and works hard to keep our home clean and comfortable

I'm thankful that I am well fed as she takes the time and attention to prepare delicious meals for us

I'm thankful for the bond that we have in Christ and the commitment we both have to beginning each day praying with and for each other

and I'm thankful that she prays for me throughout the day

I'm sure God has spared me from many disasters as a result of answering her prayers

I'm thankful God is my provider.  He faithfully meets all my needs and even gives me some of my wants

I'm thankful God is sovereign, ruling over the nations and all of creation

I'm thankful I'm a recipient of God's mercy and grace

He doesn't give me what I deserve, but instead pours out His riches in Christ Jesus daily

I'm thankful for His everlasting love

I'm thankful when this brief life is passed, I have an eternal home waiting for me in the presence of my Savior!