November Thanks

The month of thanks-giving ... and as I mentioned in a recent post, I desire to focus more on consciously lifting my thanks to God for the everyday little (and big) things that often can be taken for granted.

So it is appropriate for me to begin this month with a few of the things from this past week that have filled my heart with thanks ...

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father ..." (James 1:17)

Thanks, Lord,  for the beauty of fall ... one day last week, after a full day of meetings, when I just wanted to sit down with my laptop and relax, I chose, instead, to go for a walk and get some exercise. I would have missed this beautiful scenery if I had not listened to my heart to get some exercise.

Thanks for a relaxing evening going to the Village Pointe theatre with my dear husband, and watching a wholesome, refreshing movie together ... "Secretariat". And what made the evening even more refreshing was that it was "free"! ~ a gift card for a free night at the movies!

For the time to bake bread on Saturday, and for the goodness of wheat grain, so full of nutrients ... divided the 50# bag of wheat into smaller covered containers for bread-making in the next few months.

Thanks that we could eat at Skyline Retirement Community with my father Sunday noon ... and could hear more of his recent trip to Japan ... of how he is filled with wonderful memories of good friends, and of seeing a church thriving and multiplying that he and Mom helped start 50 years ago. So amazing that he could make a trip back to Japan at age 89 ... and so thankful that my brother and his wife and daughters could go along, making it all possible for Dad.

Thanks, Lord, for the fun of seeing four of our grandchildren as they were dressed up in costume last night for trick-or-treating ... and for the reminder of what a gift these two little boys are (our two youngest grandchildren) ... they couldn't quite figure out what all the costume-stuff meant and what was going on, but they ended up having a lot of fun!

Thanks for the sweet blessing of spending the morning today in sharing and prayer with our Omaha staff team ... they are such a gift to Gary and me.

And Lord, thanks for these amazing words from You, fresh to me this morning ...

"Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for His own? No one - for God Himself has given us right standing with Himself. Who then will condemn us? No one - for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God's right hand, pleading for us." (Romans 8:33-34)

(One Thousand Gifts #1-7)