Thankful Thursday

my work week is done

I leave in the morning for a quick trip to upstate New York to visit family

I'm thankful for the chance to go

family relationships can sometimes be complicated

but I'm hopeful my wife and I can be a blessing and encouragement

because of the pandemic, we were not able to see most of them last year

it's been almost 2 years since I saw my mom and brothers

I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we've been enjoying this week

and thankful for some outside work which gives me even more time to enjoy it

Scripture tells us the heavens declare God's glory

as I stepped outside early this morning, I was able to see that display

thankful for God's glory, and for the beauty He has created

the psalmist says when he gazes into the night sky and sees the moon and stars which God has made

he is overwhelmed by the fact that the God of creation pays any attention to him and actually loves him

I am thankful God sees me and knows me

I'm especially thankful He loves me

thankful God has revealed Himself to me and made me a partaker of grace

the vastness of the universe humbles me

I'm such a small part of something unfathomable

and yet God knows me intimately

I'm grateful beyond words

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for Jesus; my Savior, my Intercessor, my Lord

thankful He left heaven's glory, submitted to the Father, and became the Sacrifice for sin

I'm thankful He endured the Father's full wrath

thankful He conquered death, rose from the tomb, and now sits enthroned in glory with the Father

thankful Jesus will return one day to usher me into the presence of God forever

I'm thankful for opportunities to share that message with others

thankful for the work of God's Spirit, convicting people of their ultimate need:

salvation through the blood of Christ

thankful too for His work in my life, revealing God's glory, showing me my failures, and reminding me of God's forgiveness and grace

I'm thankful for God's continual presence with me; thankful for His promise to never leave me or forsake me

I'm thankful for the strength and energy God provides each day as I go to work

I thoroughly enjoy my job, but it is physically taxing

let's just say I don't have any problem falling asleep at night!

I'm thankful God gives wisdom as I seek Him

thankful He is my song

I'm thankful for God's word, for the promises found in it, for the instruction it provides

I'm thankful God speaks to me through His word

thankful He gives me ears to hear His voice

thankful He has given sight to this man who once was blind

I'm thankful God has poured out favor in my life in allowing me to find a wife

so thankful for Chris, her love and support, her encouraging words, her quiet spirit

thankful we can enjoy one another's company

thankful for a peaceful home

I'm thankful God has blessed me with children

as we are coming up on Father's Day this Sunday, I'm very thankful God allowed me to be a father

and very thankful He is my Father

I'm thankful for music

more and more frequently I find myself sitting down at the piano in the evenings

it's a chance to quiet my soul after a busy day

God is worthy of my praise

I'm thankful His mercies are new every morning

thankful for God's patience with me

thankful He continues to mold and shape me; the master sculptor chiseling away at my rough edges

thankful I am His workmanship

thankful He has created me for good works

oh that I would recognize the doors God is opening before me and be courageous in walking through them

Thankful Thursday

God gave me another song recently

about a year ago I memorized Ps. 86

and from time to time I've thought about putting it to music

this psalm is full of truths about who God is and what our response to Him looks like

I'm thankful that God is always good

thankful He is a forgiving God

thankful His mercy is abundant

where would I be apart from God?

it's scary to even think about!

I know that He has rescued me out of darkness

I'm so thankful God now invites me to walk in light and enjoy fellowship with Him

I'm thankful God brought sight to my blind eyes

thankful He opens my ears to hear His voice

I'm thankful God is my strength and my song

the psalmist says that God has put a new song in his mouth

and I can echo that

He also puts a new song in my hands

I often will sit at the piano and just play

there are so many times when I sense God guiding my fingers as I worship Him in music

in Psalm 86 David asks God to teach him His way and to unite his heart to fear God's name

that's something God loves to do

I'm thankful He is my teacher

thankful He is the molder of my heart

I'm thankful for my family

I've had extra opportunities to connect with family this week

got to sit out back this evening with my wife and her dad and brother

and then later, got to talk with my son on the phone 

I'm so thankful for the relationships God has blessed me with

I'm thankful for God's Spirit

thankful for His promptings

thankful He is producing His fruit in my life

I'm thankful for rest and refreshment

I'm thankful for Jesus and His sacrificial death on the cross for my sins

the words to a song ring true:

"my sins they are many His mercy is more!"

so thankful