We give you thanks, most gracious God, for the beauty of
earth and sky and sea; for the richness of mountains, plains,
and rivers; for the songs of birds and the loveliness of flowers.
We praise you for these good gifts, and pray that we may
safeguard them for our posterity. Grant that we may continue
to grow in our grateful enjoyment of your abundant creation,
to the honor and glory of your Name, now and for ever. Amen.

~ from The Book of Common Prayer

Today i am thankful for...

some impromptu one-on-one time with each of my two youngest

a special day together for my youngest daughter and her daddy

the friendship between my two sons; they have been best buds since my second was born

rain-cooled air, and the opportunity to open the front door and breathe it in

Today i am thankful for...

autumn

cooler temperatures

healthier habits

miles walked

prayers offered

friends made

You are my God, 

and I will give thanks to You; 

You are my God, 

I will extol You.

O give thanks to the Lord, 

for He is good, 

for His steadfast love endures forever. 

~Psalm 118:28&29

Thank You for the rain!

Psalm 65

Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion; 
and to you shall vows be performed,
O you who answer prayer! 
To you all flesh shall come.
When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us, 
you forgive our transgressions.
Happy are those whom you choose and bring near 
to live in your courts. 
We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, 
your holy temple.
By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance, 
O God of our salvation; 
you are the hope of all the ends of the earth 
and of the farthest seas.
By your strength you established the mountains; 
you are girded with might.
You silence the roaring of the seas, 
the roaring of their waves, 
the tumult of the peoples.
Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs; 
you make the gateways of the morning and the evening 
shout for joy.
You visit the earth and water it, you greatly enrich it; 
the river of God is full of water; 
you provide the people with grain, for so you have prepared it.
You water its furrows abundantly, settling its ridges, 
softening it with showers, and blessing its growth.
You crown the year with your bounty; 
your wagon tracks overflow with richness.
The pastures of the wilderness overflow, 
the hills gird themselves with joy,
the meadows clothe themselves with flocks, 
the valleys deck themselves with grain, 
they shout and sing together for joy.

LORD, You always know just what we need and just when we need it! Why does it take me by surprise? And why, oh why, do i still let worry and fear creep in instead of just trusting?

I was going to write today about being thankful for Your provision through 15 weeks of unemployment, for allowing us to keep up with all of the bills, and keep food on the table, and gas in our cars, and even go to Luke's football games. And i am so so very grateful for that, because i know it was You looking out for us.

But it seems that You wanted me to have even more to be thankful for today. So, thank You, LORD, for the new job my husband got today. Thank You that it pays more than his last job. Thank You that it is an easy commute for him. Thank You that he likes the people he met from the team he will be working with. Thank You that this offer came just at the point that our reserves were exhausted and the next unemployment check was going to be smaller than the total of the bills due next month. Thank You for seeing our needs and knowing our situation and caring about us and providing for us, always!

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

~Ephesians 3:20&21

Oh give thanks to the LORD; 

call upon his name; 

make known his deeds 

among the peoples!

~1 Chronicles 16:8