Thankful Thursday

Yesterday was a day of prayer

a lot of time was spent seeking the Father on behalf of others

I'm so thankful God is a prayer hearing and prayer answering God

thankful He is not just some idol made of wood or stone

unable to hear or talk or move

He is alive and active

I'm thankful He is responsive when I call out to Him

and He made that known so vividly yesterday

I personally saw Him answer a number of prayers

and I received reports from others of how God answered prayer in their lives

I'm thankful God invites us to communicate with Him

and thankful for His promise that when we draw near to Him, He in turn draws near to us

One of the things I've been asking God for each morning is that He would give me a song

I'm thankful for how God is answering that prayer

there have been a number of songs running through my head the last few days

this evening when I got home from work, I sat down at the piano and played and sang for a while

I'm thankful I have the opportunity to sing praise to Him.

I've been enjoying jobs that are closer to home the past couple months

but that will be coming to an end beginning next week

I wrote the above last Thursday, but ended up falling asleep and never getting it posted

I'm thankful for sleep

thankful for the way God has designed our bodies to be refreshed by sleep

I'm thankful for the opportunity to spend some time with our daughter and son in law this past weekend

it's always a joy to have family around

we will have more family coming in this weekend

and a gathering of some extended family on Sound

I'm thankful for the bond God gives us as families

as I see the breakdown of families in our culture and the deception of redefining marriage and family, I'm grieved at how far we've fallen from God's design

I'm thankful for my faithful wife

thankful for the years God has blessed us with

thankful for each day He gives us to live and serve together

I'm thankful for the commitment we share to walk life's road together 

it's not always an easy path, but God gives us grace for each twist and turn

thankful He is our strength

thankful He is the glue that holds us together

I'm thankful God is a shield about us, He is the lifter of our heads

I'm thankful God establishes my path and directs my steps as I depend on Him

I'm thankful for the peace God offers

peace that goes beyond my comprehension

thankful for the way it guards my heart and mind

I'm thankful for joy

I'm thankful for quiet moments to sit and reflect on God's goodness and faithfulness

Thankful Thursday

I haven't been very consistent lately with putting my thoughts down in written form

I'm thankful God is always consistent

thankful He is the same yesterday, today, and forever

I'm thankful His love never changes, never fails

and very thankful there is nothing that can separate me from His love

I'm thankful God is my strength

with all that's been going on recently, I'm more and more aware of my need for His strength

I was meditating on some verses from Proverbs today

"do not lean on your own understanding"

I don't know about anyone else, but that can be a challenge sometimes

I've been around the block a time or two, and sometimes I get too confident in my own ideas

"in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your path straight"

I want my path to be straight!

I want to be acknowledging Him in every situation

talking with a friend today who spent the best part of yesterday in the emergency room

he was sharing how he prays that he will be a testimony to nurses and doctors he interacts with

people who under normal circumstances he would not have any contact with

what a great way to pray

I'm thankful for a God who responds when I call out to Him

a God who shows Himself faithful in every situation

I'm thankful God is near to the brokenhearted

thankful God executes justice for the oppressed

I'm thankful God guides my path

thankful He is intimately acquainted with all my ways

I pray with the psalmist that God would teach me His ways and unite my heart to fear His name

I'm thankful for nighttime

thankful for the refreshment that comes with a good night of sleep

I will lay down and sleep in peace, for You, O Lord, are with me

Thankful Thursday

It's been over a month since I posted on my blog

It certainly isn't because I haven't had things to be thankful for 

nor has it been a lack of taking the time to talk about those things

it's just been a period of having life turned upside down

and a need for shifted focus

when I wrote last, my third grandson had just been born and I was looking forward to meeting him

and after a month of multiple visits to the emergency room and doctors' offices

it has finally happened

I'm thankful for this opportunity to be with family

I'm thankful God holds me and my family in His mighty hands

I'm thankful He knows the number of our days

I'm thankful for the hope found in Jesus

thankful God is my strength and my song

thankful He is my Deliverer and my Redeemer 

I'm thankful for God's orchestration of all the little details of life

Proverbs tells us that the mind of man makes plans, but God directs our steps

I'm thankful for His direction

I celebrated my 4 year anniversary working for Dutch Family Services last month

I'm so grateful for this job which God has provided

I'm very thankful for the flexibility granted me in taking time off when needed

I'm thankful for the variety of work which helps to keep things interesting

I'm thankful for owners who genuinely care about their employees

I'm thankful for the new skills I have learned over the past 4 years

I'm thankful for music

it has been such a joy to watch my 20 month old grandson strumming the guitar and bursting into song when we gather as family around the piano

may he always have a heart devoted to worshiping our great God

I'm thankful I've gotten to see both of my daughters and their families this past month

children are a blessing from the Lord

and there's nothing like hard times to remind us how blessed we are to have family who love us and pray for us

I'm thankful too for my in-laws

thankful for the support they have shown over these difficult days

God is the author of marriage, He's the creator of family

I'm so thankful for His good gifts to me in marriage and family

Thankful Thursday

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

especially grateful for this as my third grandson was born yesterday

There were a few complications, including a visit to the emergency room, but mom and baby are both doing well

I'm thankful for technology which allowed me to see and talk to them this evening

I'm thankful God is trustworthy

thankful He is faithful

thankful God is my burden bearer

I'm thankful for His invitation to cast all my cares on Him 

thankful for the knowledge that God does care for me

I'm thankful for rain

we sure got a lot of it today

thankful God waters the earth, making things grow

thankful for the beauty of creation

I'm thankful God is my strength and my song

thankful He is my defender

I'm thankful for God's word

thankful it is true

thankful it is living and active

thankful it always accomplishes what God sends it out to do

I'm thankful for the verses I've committed to memory

I'm thankful for family

it's been a full week with both of my brothers in law visiting from out of town

but thankful for the conversations, the games, the laughter

I'm thankful for healthy relationships with my in-laws

I'm thankful for God's grace 

thankful He has shown me mercy

and thankful I will get to experience it again tomorrow

His mercies are new every morning!                                    

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful God delights in reconciling people to Himself

I was reading in Col. 1 this evening, and was reminded once again of God's pleasure in the reconciliation process

I'm thankful for the blood of Jesus

the sinners only hope

I'm thankful God's mercies are new every morning

and thankful He is steadfast and faithful

I'm thankful God is my strength and my song

I played piano a bit this evening and sang the song God gave me from Psalm 103

the psalmist admonishes me to "forget not all He has done"

I have truly been blessed beyond measure

I have received grace upon grace

I'm a recipient of God's love

even when I was His enemy, God loved me and paved the way for my salvation through the death of His Son

I have obtained favor from the Lord in the form of my wife

I can't even scratch the surface of how blessed I am to share life with her

I'm thankful for each new day

thankful for the opportunity to walk with God on this journey of life

I'm thankful He directs my steps

thankful He interrupts my plans at times to lead in a different direction

I'm thankful for God's word

living and active

a light for my path

encouraging and convicting

truth and wisdom

so grateful for how God preserves His word

thankful for opportunities to hide it in my heart

and thankful for recall of verses in times of need

I'm thankful I'm God's adopted son

thankful to have a place in His family

thankful for my spiritual brothers with whom I can share life

so much to be grateful for 

Thankful Thursday

on this Thursday evening

I'm thankful Jesus is the Living Water

I'm thankful He satisfies the thirsty soul

thankful God has made a way through Jesus to enter into relationship with Him

I'm thankful for the Holy Spirit

thankful He guides me in prayer

thankful He produces fruit in my life

thankful for the Spirit's work in nudging me to take certain steps

and thankful for the guardrails He provides to keep me from going in certain directions

I'm thankful for life and breath

I know that each day is a gift from God

there are no guarantees for tomorrow

just got word this morning about an acquaintance who passed away

it's a reminder that life is fragile and short

I'm thankful for opportunities to work on projects with my wife

thankful she enjoys spending time with me

I'm thankful for the expression of God's favor she is in my life

I'm thankful God has blessed me abundantly in so many ways that are undeserved

thankful for His grace poured out in my life

thankful for His mercies that are new every morning

in a world corrupted by sin, I'm thankful God delights in reconciling people to Himself

thankful He offers forgiveness to all who repent

thankful God has the ability to cleanse me from sin

and thankful He has clothed me in robes of righteousness

it would be easy to get bogged down in the everyday happenings of life

but God gives me hope and the ability to express gratitude

which enables me to rise above the struggles

I'm thankful He reveals Himself in so many ways

thankful God gives me a song of thanksgiving

Thankful Thursday

on this Thursday evening I'm thankful for God's presence and protection

I've driven a lot of miles this week

thankful God travels with me always

thankful He has brought me safely through each day's journey 

I'm thankful for conversations with God as I spend time on the road

and I'm thankful for conversations with friends and family that help to keep me awake

I'm thankful for the beautiful weather we've been experiencing recently

I enjoy springtime with all the signs of new growth

I'm thankful for the flowers blooming this time of year

thankful for some opportunities to pick flowers to bring home to my wife

I'm thankful for her smile when I tell her that flowers make me think of her face

our son, Adam, came home this past weekend for Mother's Day

I'm thankful for the time to spend with him

thankful for the chance to communicate with him on a variety of topics

and thankful for the project we were able to work on together

spending time with any of our kids is such a blessing

thankful God has given me the opportunity to be a father

and I'm thankful He is my heavenly Father

I'm thankful God has adopted me into His family

thankful His mercies are new each morning

I'm thankful for the sufficiency of His grace in facing struggles along the path of life

I'm thankful I don't have to lean on my own understanding

thankful God gives wisdom when I am coming up short on it

I'm thankful God gives me a song each day

thankful He answers that prayer

I'm thankful God's ears are always open to my cries

thankful for the confidence I have in prayer, knowing He hears me and responds when I call out to Him

I'm thankful I am loved with an everlasting love

I'm thankful for the peace that brings to my heart and mind