Taking time to be thankful

Gratitude makes us healthier and happier, according to recent studies. Are you feeling good, after setting yesterday aside to give thanks for all our blessings?

This year, I'm grateful for:

• you the reader. How you encourage me with your comments and interactions all year long!
• our little grandson, born healthy 2 days ago
• family who loves us
• friends who nurture us
• safe shelter, plenty of food, and warm clothing
• God, who generously pours out blessing upon blessing, entrusts us with free will (the ability to make choices that help or hurt others), and heals our hearts when our choices - and those of others - do harm.

We don't take any of these gifts for granted.

What made you especially thankful this year?

Anonymous quote

Read more:

*Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV

*Therefore I am surely going to teach them, this time I am going to teach them my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the Lord. Jeremiah 16:21

*Through Jesus Christ we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name. Romans 1:5 ESV

Do not claim to be wiser than you are. Romans 12:16 ESV

Moravian Prayer: Heaven's Teacher, guide us as we constantly seek your truth. Open our minds to the glory, majesty, power, and peace of your everlasting love and give us the strength to bring your good news to the world.

Knowing Father, help us to feel the glory of your truth and make it a part of the road we travel. Grant each of us wisdom and hope as we move through our days, sharing your words and deeds along the way. Amen.

A dead bunny morning

I come in after a morning meeting to find a prone rabbit and a doll stroller in the narrowed hallway. I remember those days with our little kids: it's hard to keep track of them, never mind their wandering toys. I step over and go upstairs to my office = the privilege of being a grandma, not the mama.

Our kids have moved in so our (and their) boxes, cleaning supplies, picture frames, and furniture line up in unexpected places, waiting for landing spots. It's complicated when you're overlapping households.

W and I have had a great week of meeting people, mentoring and being mentored, writing and teaching.

So! grateful.

One of our most welcome accomplishments is resolving an administrative glitch. W finally located the email address that contains notifications of support and AG mission updates. W has repeatedly written from his address, "Help!" but the responses (and other communications) have gone to our official email ... in my name, not his. Administratively, I'm the "primary team member" and he's "the spouse." Funny, no?

Our apologies to those who have wondered what's the matter with us! Several mentioned, "We haven't heard from you. Did you get our contribution? We haven't received an acknowledgement!" Eeek.

We've know now where your acknowledgements and notes are reported. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! We treasure your partnership and your encouragement. Those thank-yous will be in the mail tomorrow.

Read more:

**Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you. Zephaniah 3:14-15 NEV

*In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 NIV

*Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4 ESV

*Christ himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24 NEV

Moravian Prayer: Our Savior, you have cleared our names in God's court. Grant that we will always remember your sacrifice for us. May we always live to serve you and your righteousness here on earth. Amen.