Gratitude
Many of my friends know that I read "Daily Light on the Daily Path"--in fact many of them read it too. It's a compilation of scripture verses without additional commentary, put together into morning and evening readings, by the Bagster family, over 200 years ago. Good things last!
My book goes with me everywhere and has criss-crossed the Atlantic ocean many times. The cover is worn and held together by numerous layers of Scotch tape and many of the pages have notes--some of them on every available space hi-lighting significant events that occured on a particular day or when something I read held special meaning. A couple of days ago, on October 19th there were three notes, all of them sources for gratitude:
One note says that this day in 1997 was the first time two dear friends came back to church with their family after a long time away, some of it in a spiritual "desert." How I praise God for that day and all the days since then in which I've enjoyed their presence in our church family and in my life. I had underlined the following verse:
Psalm 130:5 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
Then there were two notes from 2002:
The first said that Victoria, one of our four grand daughters, three years and seven months old at the time, had in a very simple way said "Yes," to an invitation to open her heart to Jesus at a church event for children. I pray that she never stops saying "Yes" to him.
The second was beside another underlined verse:
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (New Living Translation)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Beside it I had written, "England, 02~Grace." I had just returned from England and it was a time when God was healing my relationship with my father. I was able to clearly see myself in as much need of grace and forgiveness as he was and let go of judgment and anger. I didn't know that three months later I would return for his funeral. I'm so grateful for the perfection of God's timing.
I celebrate God's grace and goodness in the lives of my friends, my family and in my life. How much there is to be grateful for!
My book goes with me everywhere and has criss-crossed the Atlantic ocean many times. The cover is worn and held together by numerous layers of Scotch tape and many of the pages have notes--some of them on every available space hi-lighting significant events that occured on a particular day or when something I read held special meaning. A couple of days ago, on October 19th there were three notes, all of them sources for gratitude:
One note says that this day in 1997 was the first time two dear friends came back to church with their family after a long time away, some of it in a spiritual "desert." How I praise God for that day and all the days since then in which I've enjoyed their presence in our church family and in my life. I had underlined the following verse:
Psalm 130:5 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
5 I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,
and in his word I put my hope.
Then there were two notes from 2002:
The first said that Victoria, one of our four grand daughters, three years and seven months old at the time, had in a very simple way said "Yes," to an invitation to open her heart to Jesus at a church event for children. I pray that she never stops saying "Yes" to him.
The second was beside another underlined verse:
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (New Living Translation)
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.
3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.
4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.
Beside it I had written, "England, 02~Grace." I had just returned from England and it was a time when God was healing my relationship with my father. I was able to clearly see myself in as much need of grace and forgiveness as he was and let go of judgment and anger. I didn't know that three months later I would return for his funeral. I'm so grateful for the perfection of God's timing.
I celebrate God's grace and goodness in the lives of my friends, my family and in my life. How much there is to be grateful for!
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