Books aren't everything

Be Thankful

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities -- his eternal power and divine nature -- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."
Romans 1:20-21
  
What child hasn't been told a thousand times, "Now, be sure to say thank you"? It's part of good training. More than common courtesy, expressing gratitude is critical to the development of a child's character.
  
I painfully learned that lesson when, as a little girl, I failed to say "thank you" to Aunt Kitty after she gave me (under my mother's watchful eye) a charm for my bracelet. The next day I was on the telephone, rubbing my sore backside and apologizing, "Aunt Kitty, you will never know how grateful I really am."
  
It's an old story: Ingratitude carries serious penalties. Probably the oldest story is out of Romans chapter 1. It says that although men knew God, they failed to give Him thanks. And you know what happened next. God seriously punished them for their thankless hearts.
  
That should say something to you and me; because if a thankless spirit was the undoing of a generation long ago and far away, is it any different today? In fact, you know God far better than those to whom He revealed Himself through creation -- that means that you have even more to be thankful for!
  
Look around you. The blessings abound: The smiles of children, the beauty of a glorious sunset, the comfort of a warm bed at night. Small and great, there are plenty of reasons to say to God, "Thank you."
  
Lord, receive glory today through my thankful spirit. I am so grateful for who You are and what You've done. Show me more reasons today for which I can give You thanks.

From Joni Eareckson Tada, Diamonds in the Dust, November 20

Tartan Pluggers love Plaids

A Blessing

Thanks to God

Thanks, O God, for boundless mercy

From Thy gracious throne above

Thanks for ev’ry need provided

From the fullness of Thy love

Thanks for daily toil and labour

And for rest when shadows fall

Thanks for love of friend and neighbour

And Thy goodness unto all

Thanks for thorns as well as roses

Thanks for weakness and for health
Thanks for clouds as well as sunshine

Thanks for poverty and wealth!

Thanks for pain as well as pleasure

All Thou sendest day by day

And Thy Word our dearest treasure

Shedding light upon our way

Thanks, O God, for home and fireside

Where we share our daily bread

Thanks for hours of sweet communion

When by Thee our souls are fed!

Thanks for grace in time of sorrow

And for joy and peace in Thee

Thanks for hope today, tomorrow

And for all eternity!

-August Ludvig Storm

Praising the LORD

Praise and Thanksgiving!

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

I sing the mighty pow’r of God, that made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;

The moon shines full at His command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,

Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.

Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,

If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known,

And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;

While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;

And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God, art present there.

Isaac Watts

My Heart is Filled with Thankfulness

“My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who bore my pain;
Who plumbed the depths of my disgrace
And gave me life again;
Who crushed my curse of sinfulness
And clothed me in His light
And wrote His law of righteousness
With pow’r upon my heart.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To Him who walks beside;
Who floods my weaknesses with strength
And causes fears to fly;
Whose ev’ry promise is enough
For ev’ry step I take,
Sustaining me with arms of love
And crowning me with grace.

My heart is filled with thankfulness
To him who reigns above,
Whose wisdom is my perfect peace,
Whose ev’ry thought is love.
For ev’ry day I have on earth
Is given by the King;
So I will give my life, my all,
To love and follow him.”

-Keith Getty and  Stuart Townend

Traveling the beautiful Mid-West

A Time of Harvest

Genesis 1:14-19

“...Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth”; and it was so. 

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also. God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to govern the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness; and God saw that it was good. 

There was evening and there was morning, a fourth day."

From Spring through Summer, and finishing in the Autumn we watch the crops germinate, grow, and mature.  What a beautiful process to witness.  The fields change and "fill up" while we get use to the crops as they continually grow.  When they become as tall as they will grow we become comfortable with their natural height.  There is a calmness, a comfort in seeing the fields full of mature crops.  

The roadsides are "hugged" by these crops and as we drive through the countrysides, and we fondly look across the green and then golden fields.  More than the comfort of seeing the crops is the knowing that they hold our future food, and food which also feeds the world.

With Autumn comes the harvest.  What joy to see the farm machinery busy, busy.  The days and weeks go by as the crops are continually harvested. 

At first the excitement of the harvest is on my mind.  As the weeks fly by each and every field is harvested until it is hard to find one which is still waiting its turn.  This is when I begin to think how empty the fields are.  There is a loneliness in the landscapes.  I loved those crops all grown and mature.  They had become a comfort to me like a warm blanket on a cool night.  I find myself thinking of the cold winter about to come upon us.

Winter is also a beautiful time so I mustn't get caught up with the normal "chatter"of how horrible the temperature is or the snow and ice.  Winter weather and winter time has its own comforts and happy memories.

Praising the LORD for the seasons!

Ecclesiastes 3
"There is an appointed time for everything. 
And there is a time for every event under heaven—

A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

A time to kill and a time to heal;

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to weep and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn and a time to dance.

A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.

A time to search and a time to give up as lost;

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.


A time to love and a time to hate;

A time for war and a time for peace."

Joy is a choice

In the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy

"O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;


My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,


In a dry and weary land where there is no water.

Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary,


To see Your power and Your glory.

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,


My lips will praise You.

So I will bless You as long as I live;


I will lift up my hands in Your name.

My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness,


And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.

When I remember You on my bed,


I meditate on You in the night watches,

For You have been my help,


And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

My soul clings to You;


Your right hand upholds me.

But those who seek my life to destroy it,


Will go into the depths of the earth. 

They will be delivered over to the power of the sword;


They will be a prey for foxes.

But the king will rejoice in God;


Everyone who swears by Him will glory,

For the mouths of those who speak lies will be stopped."

Psalm 63

*