A Month of Thankfulness: Day 30

Day 30: I'm thankful for all the MANY blessings I receive daily!

Today is the last day of my Month of Thankfulness and yet I've not scratched the surface of being thankful for all the blessings I daily receive! "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." Psalm 68:19


This morning before I ever got out of bed I began to think about what I could say today. A song came to my mind. One that was a favorite of our family when we used to sing together a lot. It was written by one of Bro.Ronnie Simpson's daughters but after all this time I'm not sure if it was Cindy or Gwen! I hope they won't mind me sharing some of the words here today because it says so well what I'd like to say today. It begins like this: "The LORD has blessed me...in so many ways...that I couldn't begin to tell you...how good He has been!" I'm not sure I have the rest of the song word for word even but this is close:

"I've been blessed with a family, that has felt God's great touch. He's been present in trials, and has loved me so much. Though we've failed, though we've stumbled, on His Word we still stand. And we know He'll be faithful...till we reach that fair land......But the greatest of all blessings that I ever received...was His saving power...when on His Name I believed. I had nothing to offer...but my guilt and my shame...it was all through the blood...and His Holy Name!"

Although this is the last day of A Month of Thankfulness on my blog, you can rest assured that I will continue to be thankful and try to recognize God's blessings each day!

Thank you for joining me in this journey of thankfulness!

God bless you!

Marilyn

A Month of Thankfulness: Day 29

Day 29: I'm thankful for the beautiful snow I woke up to this morning!

It's all pretty much gone now but it was pretty while it lasted! There was enough of the heavy wet snow that it took out my internet by covering up the satellite dish. After I figured out what had happened Benny took the broom and swept it off and all was well.

Every time I see snow I think of the verse in Psalm 51:7 that says, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." It doesn't matter how muddy or dirty or littered a yard may be...if a good heavy thick snow settles on top of it, it's clean and beautiful looking! God says that's sort of how it is when He covers our dirty sins...our lives look snowy white! Not because we've tried to clean ourselves up, but because He has covered us with His righteousness! I am SO thankful for this!

May God bless you!

Marilyn

A Month of Thankfulness: Day 28

Day 28: I'm thankful for our wood heater!

I'm pretty sure a wood stove was at least part of the heating system in my Daddy's house when I was born but we moved from that house when I was two so I have no recollection of it. Only stories he's told. Gas heaters are all I remember growing up. We had a couple of space heaters...one in the kitchen and one in the living room...and then a big furnace type heater in the middle of the house. Daddy would always light the pilot light in the big heater sometime around the last of October every year. I can remember my Grandma Martin pulling her chair up really close to the heater in the kitchen and sit there until the front of her shins were turning pink and her bones began to warm up. I had a few friends that had central heating and air in their homes but I didn't like the way it came on and off. Off till you got cold. On till you were burning up.

And then when I married Benny I was formally introduced to heating with wood. The first couple of winters we were married we lived in a cabin at the lake which we heated with a huge fireplace. Most of the heat went up the chimney. I stayed soooooo cold those first winters! And then Benny decided to get our first wood heater. Oh my! What a great difference! Not only did it actually heat the house but it was such an even, gentle heat. It took some getting used to for this "city girl" but I got the hang of bringing in wood, building a good fire, and taking out the ashes. It's not as simple as flipping a switch but for us we hope to keep using wood heat as long as we're physically able. Most all the work falls on Benny's shoulders now...cutting the wood, hauling it up, splitting it in smaller pieces, filling up the wood box beside the heater, and keeping the fire going. In years past when the kids were home they helped cut, split and bring in the wood. Before they were big enough to do any of that, they would open the door for me as I made several trips in and out bringing in wood for our huge wood box. Lots of memories associated with our wood heaters.

This morning even though it's 36 degrees and misting rain outside, there's an even warmth in the house. (Let it get down to 5 or 10 degrees with a stiff north wind and it's a different story though! lol) I'm very thankful I have a warm home during cold wet weather. I don't want to take it for granted because I realize there are millions throughout the world who don't have this advantage.

I hope for you today a warm home and a warm heart!

Marilyn

A Month of Thankfulness: Day 27

Day 27: I'm thankful for the good Sunday School teachers in my life.

I'm sure I've had a lot of good ones because I've been in Sunday School all my life. But two stand out in my mind the most. First is Mrs. Lena Pearl Griffin. She was the head of the Junior Sunday School Department at First Baptist in Ripley when I was a kid. I remember some of the things she would say and stories of missionaries she would tell us during the "opening assembly" each Sunday morning. She was a great example and in fact still is a great example at the age of ninety-something!

The other one was Bro. Leon Mathis who taught the Young Married Class at Tiplersville Baptist when Benny and I first got married. He was very smart in the Bible and was able to communicate his godly wisdom to us in a very effective way. I think I still have some of my notes from his class in a filing cabinet somewhere!

I pray that today as I try to teach the ladies class that has been entrusted to me that I will be able to encourage and build up these ladies in the Lord!

May God bless you!

Marilyn

A Month of Thankfulness: Day 26

(Me & Mama)

Day 26: I'm thankful for the women who have been an inspiration in my life.

There have been many. The very first one was my Mama. I never fully appreciated her for all she was until after she passed away when I was just sixteen years old. And although Mama was the woman who inspired me the most, there have been many others who have made a lasting impression on my life. If you are a woman and are reading this, you most likely are on my list! You may have touched my life in a large way or (to you) a seemingly small one. You may or may not know that you have given me a word of wisdom or encouragement or reprimand that helped mold and shape me.

My daughter Elizabeth is high on that list in my heart and mind. She keeps on going when the going gets tough. And she is my biggest fan! lol Even though she probably knows me better than another other women alive, she still thinks I'm better than I actually am! I love her so much! I've been blessed with a great daughter-in-law too. I admire her greatly for leaving her native land and family and coming to be a part of ours. I know it's not been an easy road for her. I only have one sister left here on earth but I'm so thankful for Elsie and all the sister-time we get to share.

God has blessed me with many women friends. Some live near me. Others live in faraway countries. Some I see every few days. Others not for years at a time. A few I have never seen. These would be some of my blogging buddies. I found a "community" of women's Christian blogs a few years ago and began reading them. A few of these ladies have become close friends to me even though we've never met in person. They have prayed for me and encouraged me through many things in the past few years.

I've never met the Bible teacher Beth Moore and yet she has taught me so much through her women's ministry via Bible studies on DVD. The small group I study with at Sav-A-Life has been a huge blessing to me. Thanks Felesha for starting this study time many years ago!

And then there's my ladies Sunday school class, my pastor's wife and the other women at my church. The group has been varied. Some come and go. But each lady has impacted my life in one way or another.

Thanks to each one of you who I'm honored to call friend! Thank you for your contribution to my life! You know who you are and you know the road we've traveled together. Sometimes with laughter and joy. Other times with tears of sorrow or regret. I could not ...or at least would not want to...get along without you!

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24

May God bless you!

Marilyn

A Month of Thankfulness: Day 25

Day 25: I'm thankful for the sunshine today!

It has been shining outside my windows all day. Something about the sun shining always cheers me up! Makes me think about a little song we used to sing with the grandkids..."Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me!" But I'm guilty of taking "Mr. Sun" for granted so much of the time. Without him we would freeze here on earth! Too much of him and we would burn up! He's faithful to show up every morning. You can set your clock by him. Oh..we DO set our clocks by him! ha

I'm so glad that I know the maker of the sun....the Son of God Himself! I'm thankful for His grace and mercy and His faithfulness!

"Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds." Psalm 36:5

May God bless you!

Marilyn

A Month of Thankfulness: Day 24

Day 24: I'm thankful for THANKSGIVING DAY !!

My favorite holiday of the year! In my opinion, the oldest, purest, truly American holiday we celebrate. New's Year's we celebrate another new year. Easter the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Memorial Day the ones who died in war. Fourth of July the birth of our free country. Labor Day the gift of having jobs. Christmas the birth of Jesus Christ. But on Thanksgiving we have a special day to give thanks to God for these and all the other things He gives us each and every day!

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." Psalm 100: 4-5

Today, as Christians, let us truly give thanks as we celebrate Thanksgiving and remember that all the blessings we have are because of the wonderful mercies and love of our Lord. We don’t want our children and grandchildren to ask us some day…”Can you tell me the story of how you used to have a Thanksgiving Day?” Let’s keep the day alive!

May God bless you!

Marilyn