Thankful Thursday

yesterday I celebrated my anniversary

37 years of marriage to the love of my life

I'm thankful for each of those years

thankful God has directed our path, showing us the steps to take, and sometimes carrying us when we couldn't walk on our own

I'm thankful for the joys and the sorrows we have experienced over these many years

thankful God has been faithful in guarding our relationship

I know it's only by His grace that we have enjoyed the closeness and depth of relationship we share

I'm thankful God challenged me many years ago to begin each day praying with and for my wife

it has provided solid footing for us throughout our journey

God is the glue that has bonded us together

I'm so grateful He knows us and hears us

I remember standing before Chris those many years ago, telling her that I would love her as Christ loves the church

I certainly haven't done that perfectly over the years

but I am thankful God has helped me in doing that, and thankful He forgives my shortcomings

I remember singing the song, "I Could Never Promise You" in our wedding ceremony

acknowledging my utter dependence on God in starting the new role as a husband

and as the years have passed, I just become more and more convinced of my need for Him

I'm thankful for Chris' patience with me

thankful for her devotion to God first of all, but also to me

I'm thankful for her support and encouraging words

she is my perfect gift from God

I'm thankful for my job

I'm also very thankful most days aren't like today was

it was just one of those days!

my brother in law sent the verse, 

"In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have overcome the world." 

in a family group text this morning

it was fitting for the day I had

trouble!

but I'm thankful God continued to guide me and give me strength even while experiencing trouble

I'm thankful God is the source of wisdom

thankful He is the giver and sustainer of life

I'm grateful for His presence with me each day

although I've been doing this kind of work most of my life--40+ years

I still find myself seeking His insight when I'm facing a challenging situation

I'm thankful for God's invitation to ask for wisdom when we find it lacking

thankful too for His assurance that He doesn't look on us with reproach when we acknowledge that lack

God is my refuge

He is my strength and my song

so grateful!

Thankful Thursday

I pause to reflect on what I am thankful for this evening, 2 days before Christmas

Immanuel: God with us

what an amazing gift!

I thank God that He sent His Son

born a child, and yet a King

I am thankful God is near

thankful He didn't just create the earth and then take a giant step back to let us flounder on our own

I'm thankful God reveals Himself to those who seek Him

on the night of Jesus birth, the shepherds received a message about this new born Savior

they could have just stayed on the hillside watching their sheep

but instead they went in search of the One who had come to bring peace

and they found Him

The magi from the east saw a star with special significance

they didn't have to travel many miles to bring homage to the One who was born king of the Jews

but the did

they came seeking Him and found Him

and I'm thankful God is still revealing Himself 

am I seeking Him?

I'm thankful God responds when I call out to Him

I know He hears me when I pray

I've seen the evidence of His answers to those prayers

I'm thankful God has blessed me with children and grandchildren

thankful for stimulating conversations with my kids

thankful for the way they challenge and encourage me

I'm thankful for God's protection

I was just quoting from Ps. 121 to my grandson this morning

"The Lord is your keeper; the sun will not smite you by day, nor the moon by night.  The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul."

I had one of those protection moments this week

I was ripping a board on the table saw and suddenly felt something on my thumb

I pulled back, and looked at it

I was wearing a glove, and it had a cut in it, but when I pulled the glove off, the skin wasn't even broken

It could have been a very bad situation

but God...

I'm thankful God's timing is perfect

at just the right time, He sent His Son

even when I was trapped in my sin, Jesus died and rose again so I could experience newness of life

so thankful Jesus humbled Himself and became a servant and a sacrifice

I'm thankful for the exemplary life He lived

I'm thankful for God's grace and mercy demonstrated on the cross

and I'm thankful I am a recipient of His love 

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for God's continued guidance and protection

my wife, Chris, spent 2 weeks out in Missouri with our daughter and her family

while there, she tested positive for Covid and was dealing with a lot of fatigue

she really wanted to come home, but wasn't sure if she could handle the trip

as we prayed and sought God's direction, we decided that I would drive out and bring her home 

1,900 miles in three days

so thankful God gave me the energy and endurance to make that trip

and I'm thankful to have my wife back home

I'm thankful God answers prayer

thankful He responds when we call out to Him

and I'm thankful God invites us to come to Him with our prayers

I've been singing a lot recently on the job

one of the things I've been praying about is thanking God that He is my strength and my song, and asking Him to give me a song throughout the day

and He has been answering that prayer with more than one song

daily I'm reminded how dependent I am on God's strength

the physical toll I experience in my work is a constant reminder that God's strength is perfected in my weakness

I'm thankful His grace is sufficient for all the circumstances I face

my coworker has been reminding me lately that in the world we will have trouble, but he encourages me with the rest of that truth: that we can take courage because Christ has overcome the world

I'm thankful God is a God of victory

thankful that He causes us to triumph through Him

I'm thankful His mercies are new each morning

and thankful God is faithful in fulfilling His promises to me

I'm thankful for the wisdom that comes as I seek Him and live in fear of Him

God is holy and righteous, and yet He is also gracious and merciful

I'm thankful I have experienced His salvation

as we go through this advent season

I'm thankful Jesus came

thankful God is with me

thankful He continues to shine on me and show me His favor