Simple Thank You's!

Today I am thankful for... today! What a spectacular day--spring seems to be slipping in like royalty, gently nudging winter out of the way. The light this morning and this evening was breathtaking with it's pristine warm beauty. How I love the light of the dawn or the dust peeking through the bare tree limbs. And the feeling of the sun on your skin--ah, it makes you feel like you've just awoken from a long, restless night and the new day brings fresh hope. Boy, am I ever thankful for this fine day!

Thank You Lord today for the gift of friendship. It sounds so trite--but maybe that's because it's so true. What a gift it is to have friends to divide your burdens and multiply your joys. Friends give us perspective, wisdom, encouragement, laughter, and, well, duh, love. And friends just add so much color and light to our lives.

Thank the Lord for music! I continue to love that song I talked about the other day, "You Lead." "You Lead, I'll follow. Your hands hold my tomorrow. Your grip, your grace, You know the way. You guide me tenderly; When you lead, I'll follow. Just light the way and I'll go... " Just such true and simple yet profound words--for ultimately that is all we have to do--determine daily, hourly, minute by minute, to say to the Savior, "You Lead, I'll follow" Wherever He goes, determine to go there with Him. And if He does not go, neither do we! That means waiting on Him, watching for Him, worshipping Him. And that means we follow... in other words, we FOLLOW! We don't lead--He does. Boy, this is a life-long learning process for me! My tendency is rush ahead and anxiously tap my foot, waiting for the Lord to "catch up." But it's really so simple--He leads, we follow... wherever, whenever, whatever.

Other sources of overflowing gratitude: Thankful for the spectacular Daddy Cardinals. Their vibrant candy apple red thrills me every time! I haven't seen many Cardinals lately, but today I saw several. And they are just beautiful! As I've shared before, whenever I see one, I take it as God's little "I love you" message to me. And I always whisper back, "I love You, too, Lord!"

Thankful for science experiments. Actually, right at the moment, I'm not feeling particularly thankful for them, but if we can ever get water crystals to grow for this experiment, I will be thankful! This reminds me of the need for patience. I'm clearly deficient. We need crystals NOW!

Thankful for laughter.

Thankful for tears of repentance and tears that reflect the gift of depth of feeling.

Thankful for chocolate (no list is complete without it)

Thankful for the beautiful red Camilla bush outside our kitchen door. And thankful Camilla bushes are, apparently, such hardy plants that need no help or tender loving care whatsoever. Big source of gratitude!

Thankful for second chances.

Thankful that the Lord is not through with us yet... and He never gives up on us. Never.

Thankful for the little book of Amos we've studied in Bible study this year. And thankful for Amos' remarkable courage and perseverance and faithfulness.

Thankful that the greatest things in life, truly, are not things. And God's choicest treasures cannot be held or seen or possessed are meant to be sources of rejoicing and gratitude.

Thankful that at some point tonight, I will finally be able to take a steaming hot bath. Bliss. Right up there with chocolate.

Hope you have a blessed day as well. Remember to thank the Lord, the Giver of all good gifts--from Cardinals to Camilla bushes to chocolate to precious loved ones. He is so good. So incredibly, unbelievably, graciously good.

Thank You Lord! To God be the glory.