Thankful Thursday

Wow!

It's been almost a month since I stayed awake enough on Thursday evening to take some time to count my blessings and put down in writing the things I'm thankful for

It certainly isn't because I'm not thankful

life happens, and along with that energy at times can get zapped

the last time I posted, I had just received the news of my second grandson's birth

and I was recovering from my recent injury from coming in contact with my table saw blade

I'm thankful to say that my thumb is recovering nicely

I'm thankful the pain from that injury has been minimal and I've been able to carry on with normal activity

I'm also thankful I had the chance to go out to Missouri and meet my new grandson

I'm thankful for the gift of time

thankful I got to take lots of walks with my 2 year old grandson Hudson

thankful for the opportunity to see the world through the eyes of a little child

I'm thankful for safe travel out and back, and thankful my wife, who stayed out an extra week, had an uneventful flight home

this morning as I was driving to work in the fog, I had a very close call, almost colliding with another driver.  So I'm especially thankful for safety this evening

On my return trip from Missouri, I did something very different.  I'm typically one of those people who is just looking to conquer the trip--minimal stops just when necessary to refill the gas tank.  And we make the run out to Missouri, a 14 hour trip, in one day.  But this time, traveling alone, I decided to spread the trip over 3 days. I stopped and chatted with an old friend over his lunch break on Friday afternoon, stopped in Indianapolis to visit with an uncle and cousins Friday evening, and hung out with them on Saturday morning until around 11.  Then I met up with a pastor friend in Ohio and visited with him and his wife for about an hour and a half before driving to the home of a friend from college in western PA.  I spent the night at his home, visited with him for a couple hours Sunday morning, and then completed my trip home.

I'm thankful for the time I had with each of those people.

thankful for God's provision of friends and family

thankful for family that is also friends

I haven't always experienced that, so it brings a special kind of appreciation

as I mentioned earlier, I've been falling asleep a lot in the evenings

I'm thankful for my job, thankful that it is physically taxing, which tends to help me have no problem falling asleep

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

I'm also thankful for His promise that those who wait on Him will renew their strength

I'm thankful for those times He gives me to just be still before Him and be rejuvenated

I'm thankful for God's invitation to come to Him when I'm burdened and just worn out

thankful that He offers rest to the weary

I'm thankful that Jesus is the Living Water and the Bread of Life

thankful that He satisfies my hungering soul

Thankful Thursday

This week has had its ups and downs

but one thing I've often said, and been convinced of through my life experiences is that there is always something for which I can be thankful

no matter the circumstances, regardless of how dark and bleak things may look, in spite of trying times and crushing weights

God is good all the time

and He continues to extend His grace to me in multiple ways

my common response when someone asks how I'm doing is, "Better than I deserve."

I don't say that lightly. I know what Scripture says

"The wages of sin is death..."

and like everyone else on this planet, I am a sinner, and as such I deserve death

so the fact that I'm alive and breathing and able to hear your question means that I'm doing better than I deserve

when I responded that way to a nurse this afternoon, she paused and then asked, "Really?"

sitting there, with my thumb encased in gauze and medical tape, I could honestly say, "YES!"

I'm thankful to still have a thumb on my left hand

it's a bit damaged at the moment, and will probably be a long time in healing, but I'm very grateful it is still attached and mostly functional

a bit of back story: Monday morning my thumb decided to tangle with my table saw blade. The blade won!

I'm thankful it just took off the end of my thumb, and didn't affect the fingernail or cut into the bone at all

on the up side, early Wednesday morning, we received a call from our daughter letting us know that our second grandson had arrived.  What wonderful news!

children are a blessing from the Lord, and I'm thankful God showered blessing on Carl and Allison by giving them another child to love and care for

I'm thankful I will get to meet William Owen Eldredge Sunday evening

my lawn mower decided it was tired and quit running on Saturday

my friend, Dean, stopped in this evening 

I'm thankful for the friends God has given me

they all contribute to my life in some way

as we were talking, I mentioned that I couldn't get my lawn mower to start and was describing what it was doing

we strolled around to the back of the house, and after a bit of tinkering, the mower started!

now I can mow my yard before we leave on our trip to Missouri!

while we messed with the mower, we also were able to talk about what's going on in our lives

I'm grateful I can share life with others, that I'm not on some kind of solo journey

God has given to me abundantly, not only what I need, but also much of what I want

I'm thankful for His patience and steadfast love for me

I'm thankful He doesn't deal with me as my sin deserves

I'm thankful God gives and sustains life!

I am a blessed man   

Thankful Thursday

for a number of years now, I have struggled with my vision

having one eye that is always sending a blurred image to the brain while the other one tries to bring clarity to the situation presents some unique challenges

and for the past year, reading had become very difficult to the point where I avoided it as much as possible

but after visiting my eye doctor last week and making some changes in my glasses prescription, I ordered new glasses

they arrived on Tuesday, and I'm delighted with the improvement

the simplest way I can put it is that I can now tell the difference between a comma and a semi-colon

I'm thankful to be reading again without the strain

I'm thankful for the report that my right eye is stable and not continuing to deteriorate

I'm thankful God gives wisdom to doctors to know how to help 

I won't ever have perfect vision until I get my new glorified body on the other side

but for now I'm grateful for some improvement

I'm thankful for Jesus, who opens the eyes of the blind

in a small way I can identify with physical blindness

but in a larger way I understand the blinding influence of the devil

he comes to deceive, kill and destroy any who would choose to follow Christ

I'm thankful I am held in the hand of the creator of the universe

He is my Rock and my Deliverer

He is my Refuge

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

I'm thankful God is a provider

He knows all my needs even better than I know myself

I'm thankful God gives strength to the weak

thankful He gives rest to the weary

I'm thankful God has clothed me in His righteousness

I know that if I had to count on my own good deeds, I'd drown in a heartbeat

Thankful Thursday

 

I've been spending time in Psalm 71 this week

There so much truth in this passage to be thankful for

I'm thankful God is my refuge and my rescuer

I'm thankful there's no need to feel shame in that

although some people would consider faith a crutch, they have no idea the blessing they are missing out on by disregarding faith

I'm thankful God has a listening ear, He hears when I call out to Him

I'm thankful God provides a place for me to which I can always come

I'm thankful God gives me hope and confidence

I'm grateful He is the One who sustains my life

I'm thankful God is full of righteousness

thankful He gives salvation to those who trust in Him

I'm thankful God is my teacher

I'm thankful God revives me, that He picks me up when I stumble

I'm thankful God is my comforter

These truths cause me to offer up praise to God

they put a song in my heart

they give me opportunity to proclaim His greatness

I'm thankful God gives me opportunities to tell of His glory

to speak of His mercy and grace

just the other day, I had an occasion to engage with a coworker in a discussion about goodness

he was of the opinion that some sins are unforgivable

I asked Him where he would draw that line

I'm thankful God saw my need and sent Jesus to redeem me from my wickedness

as I conversed with my coworker, I expressed to Him how desperately I am in need of a Savior

I'm thankful God poured out His wrath on Jesus rather than me

so grateful for grace and mercy 

Thankful Thursday

As I pause this evening it is with a grateful heart

is all well in the world? No

Is life filled with hope? Yes!

do I believe God is sovereign and in control? YES! 

There certainly are things happening around me that would make it easy to have a complaining spirit

but why waste my time with something that causes defeat?

I choose rather to focus on the blessings and express my thanks to God who rules over all

I'm thankful He woke me up this morning, giving me life and breath

I'm thankful God has provided a job I can go to each day

I'm thankful for work that I enjoy and good people to work with

I'm thankful for food to eat; I've never personally experienced hunger the way many in poverty stricken areas do

and this evening when I got home from work, my wife and I processed corn for our freezer! That will be much appreciated when we get into the colder months of the year

I'm thankful for our piano and the opportunity to play and sing praise

I'm thankful God is an artist

and I'm thankful He has given me eyes to be able to enjoy the beauty He creates

I'm thankful God is near, that He desires for me to seek Him

I'm thankful God is compassionate and caring

thankful He is tender-hearted

I'm thankful God knows my needs, but still invites me to express those needs in prayer

I'm thankful God sets the example for resting

thankful He created my body to be refreshed by sleep

I'm thankful God never grows weary or tired

that He is the giver of strength to the weak

I'm thankful God is forgiving and merciful

I'm thankful for His grace

Thankful Thursday

I've been spending time in the Psalms for quite a few months now

I love the way God reveals Himself in that book

I'm thankful He is the One I can always turn to

thankful God does understand my struggles

thankful He responds when I call out to Him

I'm thankful God is my protector

that doesn't mean I won't experience difficult days

but it does mean I don't walk through those days alone

I'm thankful God is leading me

thankful He speaks to me

sometimes I'm a bit hard of hearing, but I'm thankful for He doesn't give up

thankful His work in my life isn't just a reaction to me but rather a demonstration of His character

I'm thankful God is a provider

He knows my needs

I'm thankful God is for me; He wants me to succeed

His plans for me are good and beneficial

unfortunately, I can be stiff necked and hard hearted at times

I end up going my own way, thinking my faulty thoughts

and running myself right into a wall

I'm thankful God is patiently waiting when I see the error of my ways and turn back to Him

I'm thankful God is the creator

I'm thankful for the beauty He has placed all around me

I'm thankful He gives me a song in the night and all day long

thankful God is worthy of praise

I'm thankful He is righteous and holy

He is the perfect judge and yet my tireless advocate

I'm thankful God is faithful, true to His word, 

I'm thankful He is merciful and gracious

I'm thankful God is compassionate

thankful He wraps His arms of comfort around me when I'm hurting and confused

I'm thankful God is my hiding place

thankful He is my strong tower

I'm thankful God is the calm in the midst of the storms of life

I'm thankful for the cross

thankful God has provided the way for me to come into right relationship with Him

I'm thankful God loves me with an everlasting love

I'm thankful for moments like this when I can just reflect on how truly blessed I am

 

Thankful Thursday

after 6 1/2 weeks, I started back to work yesterday

I'm thankful for the time God gave me to invest in family and friends

but I'm also thankful to be back into a somewhat normal routine 

and I'm grateful for the work God has provided

last week we did some traveling, visiting my sister and her family and also our son

I'm thankful for family

thankful for conversations I had with my sister, her son, and my son

it's always good to catch up with family

I'm thankful for a vehicle that runs well and for safety as we drove 

whenever I get done with a trip like that, I'm reminded of God's promise to be a shield about me

we had the opportunity to do church online with our son, and heard an encouraging and challenging message on friendship

I'm thankful for the friends God has placed in my life

thankful for the impact they have had on me

and as we were reminded in the sermon that God is a friend who sticks closer than any other, I'm so grateful for the truth that Jesus is a friend of sinners

I'm thankful He came to offer Himself as a sacrifice for my sin

thankful I've been rescued out of darkness into His marvelous light

one of my friends made me a gift this past week; its a piece of wood with a cross burned into it and some read paint spattered around the cross.  When he gave it to me, he told me to put it in my van as a reminder that it's all about the cross.

I'm thankful for the cross; it's all I have to boast in

I'm thankful salvation is a gift, not something I had to earn

I got a rather crude text message today; it was a reminder that there are still many out there who are lost and in need of God's touch of grace

I'm thankful He gives me opportunities to be a conduit of His love and grace to those around me

thankful God invites me to partner with Him as His ambassador, spreading the message of reconciliation

the longer I live on this earth, the more I long for the day when I will finally be home

I'm thankful this is not my final destination, thankful for the hope I have in Jesus

so grateful there is a day coming when I will see Him face to face