Thankful Thursday

 Once again Thursday evening has arrived

and I take some time to reflect on all I have to be thankful for

my job requires a lot of time on the road

most of my projects are an hour to an hour and a half from my home

I'm very thankful for the safety God provides each day as I am on the road

I'm also thankful for friends and family that I connect with while driving

it helps me stay in touch with what's going on in their lives as well as keeping me awake!

I'm thankful for the relationships God has allowed me to develop over the years

I am blessed to know people all across the country

I'm thankful for music

I know God has given me a gift in being able to sit down at the piano and play

He has also helped me write songs that honor Him

I don't take any of that for granted

I know how my music has changed since placing my faith in Jesus

and I love praising Him in song

I'm thankful God is my strength and my song

I'm thankful for God's amazing grace

for His mercy evidenced in my life every day

I'm thankful for my wife

there's not a day that goes by that I don't thank God for the expression of His favor that she is in my life

the love and support I receive from her is such a gift

I'm thankful for times to laugh together, times to sit quietly together just enjoying each others company

I'm thankful for the tasks I don't have to do because she takes care of them

talking with a friend this morning, he commented that his wife likes to mow the yard

I told him I didn't know if my wife enjoyed mowing or if she just does it to help me, but I'm thankful that she often gets the mowing done, and it looks good

I'm thankful for God's physical provision

I have a roof over my head, clothes on my back, and food in my belly

I know there are parts of the world where those things aren't a given

I'm also thankful God has allowed us to give to others who are in need

Jesus said it is more blessed to give than to receive, and I've experienced the truth of that

I'm thankful for time

it's such a precious commodity

and I don't want to waste it on frivolous activities

I'm thankful for quiet moments and stillness

thankful for God's invitation to draw near to Him

and thankful for His promise that when I wait on Him my strength is renewed

I'm thankful God is the giver and sustainer of life

thankful that He is light--in Him there is no darkness at all

Thankful Thursday

I'm tired!

it's been a full week, so I'm probably going to make this brief

but I've been missing my Thursday evening appointment so much lately

and I didn't want to let this week go by without giving God His due

I'm thankful for Easter--for the empty tomb

thankful Jesus died for my sins

but even more thankful HE is alive!

and because Jesus rose from the dead, I have newness of life

so thankful that because I am in Christ, I am a new creation

I'm thankful for the victory I can walk in

thankful I stand in the power of God's might

and I don't have to fight the battles alone

I'm thankful for the awareness God's Spirit brings, helping me identify those battles

I'm thankful God gave my wife and me the opportunity to travel to Louisiana last weekend to celebrate Easter with our daughter and son-in-law

thankful for time with them, for laughter, good food, games, and walks

thankful for the chance to attend church together and see some old friends

I'm thankful for safety as we traveled

I'm thankful for springtime

for new growth popping out of the ground all around me

thankful for warmer temperatures

thankful for our peaceful back yard and times to sit in the adirondack chairs, soaking in the sunshine and catching up with my wife

I'm thankful for my job

thankful for a positive environment to work in

thankful for the opportunity to use my skills in a profitable way

thankful for bosses who love Jesus and their employees

I'm thankful for the health and strength God gives each day 

thankful for His presence with me

thankful for God's promise to never leave me or forsake me

I'm thankful His word is true! 

Thankful Thursday

Over two months have slipped by since I last took the time to pause and reflect by posting my expression of gratitude in this way

It wasn't for lack of things for which to give thanks  

Indeed, God has continued pouring out His steadfast love

and He shows me His faithfulness every day

when I last wrote, my mother-in-law was still with us on this earth

however, just a few days later, she passed from this life into the presence of Jesus

I'm thankful for God's comforting presence over these last two months

thankful for the grieving process

thankful for the hope I have as a follower of Jesus that Mom is enjoying her new home

thankful for His shed blood which has cleansing power 

thankful God clothes me in Christ's righteousness through belief in His name

Life goes on

its flavor has changed a bit

new routines fall into place

old routines I counted on for so long slip away

I'm thankful God is my anchor

thankful my security is found in Him

thankful for this opportunity to walk along with my wife as she journeys through challenging days

I often feel inadequate 

this is new territory for me

but God is familiar with grief

and He promises to never leave me or forsake me

for that I am very thankful!

Thankful Thursday

It's been a hard couple of weeks

as a family, we have watched Mom Martin steadily decline

her body is giving up its fight, and physical death draws near

but in the midst of that, I'm thankful for her faith

even when her words are barely discernible, her trust in Jesus is clear

her favorite song recently is "I will rise and go to Jesus"

and she will start singing it at any moment

I'm thankful too for family

I'm the in-law (some would say the outlaw!)

but I've seen the family rally together and support one another

and it blesses me to see the bond and to know my wife has the support of her siblings and dad

I'm thankful God is the Father of mercy and the God of all comfort

I'm thankful for the glimpses of His care I've seen these last couple of weeks

I'm thankful for His faithfulness

in a couple days I will turn 60

I've had a lot of years to experience God's faithfulness

and I can attest with the psalmist that I've not seen the righteous forsaken

as I age, I become more and more aware of my need of God's grace

I recognize how lacking I am in the wisdom department

but God promises to give grace and supply wisdom

and He delivers

I'm thankful He isn't reproachful when I express my needs

I'm thankful God is generous and kind

I'm thankful He is forgiving

I'm thankful for His transforming work throughout my life

although the next few weeks and months will be a grieving time

I'm thankful we don't sorrow as those who have no hope

I'm thankful Jesus has paved the way for me to have an eternal hope

and grateful He is preparing and eternal home for all those who put their trust in Him

just this morning, I was reading Ps. 121

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; from whence shall my help come?  My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to slip; He who keeps you will not slumber...The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade on your right hand."

these are precious promises that become even richer when we see the end of life approaching

I'm thankful God is a promise keeper

I'm thankful He is waiting on the other side to welcome Mom into her new home

I'm thankful God has blessed my life by sharing her with me

thankful for the memories I will carry with me 

     

Thankful Thursday

tomorrow is Christmas!

I wonder if I will be able to sleep tonight

I remember my son's excitement when he was young

he always told us Christmas morning that he hadn't slept at all

I wonder if baby Jesus slept in Mary's womb the night before His birth  

or was He so keyed up with excitement about His mission that He was kicking and squirming

I am so thankful Jesus came

thankful for that name

the angel told Joseph to name Him Jesus because He would save His people from their sins

I'm thankful for the forgiveness available to me through Jesus

thankful for the peace that comes through belief in His name

I still remember the turmoil that filled my life as a younger man, and the peace that came when I finally acknowledged my need of God's forgiveness

although I still have my moments, I'm thankful I don't live in a constant state of unrest

I'm thankful Jesus truly is the Prince of Peace

I'm thankful He is my Wonderful Counselor

thankful He is the Word become flesh

I've been reading in Ps. 119 for the past week or so

God's word in one form or another is mentioned in every verse of this psalm

It has been enlightening to spend extended time meditating on these verses

and the author of Hebrews reminds us that after years of speaking to His people through prophets, God sent His Son to communicate His message to us

it's a message of hope, a message of joy, a message of reconciliation 

I'm thankful for God's word, thankful He still speaks to me through His word

I'm thankful for family

thankful for time to gather as family and build on the memories

thankful for technology that allows me to connect with those family members who are farther from home

thankful for the love that we share

thankful for grandchildren

thankful for the energy of little ones

I'm thankful for music

thankful I can use music as an avenue to express my thanks to the Father

it's a stormy night outside

I'm thankful for shelter, for a roof over my head and a furnace that provides heat

I'm thankful for friends who help to warm my spirit

thankful for the opportunities I've been given this year to serve my friends

I'm thankful God is my heavenly Father and one day will welcome me into His home

May you all experience a Christmas blessed with joy and peace!

Thankful Thursday

my God is a provider

I see this clearly in so many ways

especially on nights like this, when the temperature outside has plummeted

I'm thankful for His provision of shelter and heat

I'm thankful for warm clothing

as I look out my window on a winter wonderland

I'm thankful God provides strength

I did a lot of shoveling today

I had to shovel our driveway so that I could go to work

when I got to my job site, I had to shovel out a spot for parking my van and then shovel the public sidewalk of the house I was working at

I'm thankful for the job God has provided; thankful for the way He uses it to meet our financial needs

speaking of needs,

I'm thankful God provides for my spiritual needs

thankful He sent His Son into this world to be the Savior who paid the debt for my sin

He tells me in His word that He has given me everything I need for life and godliness

that is a powerful statement, and one filled with promise

I'm thankful for life, thankful God woke me up this morning

thankful He provided breath in my lungs

thankful for His design of my body

thankful for a heart that beats, sending oxygen filled cells throughout

and I'm thankful God has given me a new heart

thankful He took away my cold stony heart that acted in disobedience to Him

thankful He gives me the desire to know Him and love Him

I'm thankful for music

thankful God gives me songs of praise to express my love for Him

thankful for the creativity to capture my thoughts and feelings in song

I've been writing a new song this week

it starts out like this:

Now when the fullness of time had come the Father sent forth His Son into this broken world 

He came to give light to people who walked in night that they might find the way

For years they had wandered in darkness and sin not knowing where they should turn

But now God was providing an access for them to enter His eternal home

I'm so thankful that Jesus came

thankful God is my Immanuel

thankful He is for me

Christmas is a reminder of that truth

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