GRATITUDE!

Dawn is breaking as I snuggle deeper into the warm covers. “Good morning, Lord, I love you”, my mind whispers. Next to me, I hear my husband’s even breathing. “Thank you Lord, for such a good man to wake up to. I am so glad we are together in our senior years.”

Pushing aside the covers, I sit up and my toes wiggle their way into the waiting slippers. A gentle breeze causes the curtains to dance and I pause by the window listening to the morning birds as they serenade “Elohim-The Creator".

Coffee first. Then I’ll start my day. He’s up now and we open our Bibles to search the scripture. Thank you “Adonai- Master and Majestic Lord", for the Truth of your Word. Thank you for the assurance of our salvation and your gift of eternal life. Thank you “Jehovah Rohi- The Lord is My Shepherd", for your law to show us our sin and guide us in our daily decisions. Thank you “Jehovah Shalom-The Lord of Peace", for this abundant life filled with love and joy. Thank you for the Holy Spirit who lives within us and gives me the self-control and kindness I will need to get through the day.

Breakfast leaves the stove messy and the sink full of dishes. Thank you “Jehovah Jireh-The Lord Will Provide". A dirty kitchen is evidence that we have food to eat. Full laundry baskets mean we have clothes to wear and the floors I sweep are proof we have a roof over our heads.

The cool morning invites us outside to work. An elevated holding tank provides water for the garden. Thank you “El Shaddai-The All Sufficient One", for such good water to meet our needs, please multiply our efforts and give us a bountiful harvest.

Thank you for the strength and good health to do the gardening, the road maintenance and care for the animals. Someday when we can no longer keep up, we trust you Lord to give us the peace and grace to make the right move. However, for now we don’t worry about what is to come, instead help us to count our blessings daily and enjoy what we have.

Overhead the sun seems to pause to remind us it’s noon. Break time. Lunch is a smoothie made from hand picked, tree ripened peaches we canned last summer. Thank you Lord. I know there are people out there who are waiting for the food pantries to open.

Heat pours out from the sun and we retire indoors. We are filled with helplessness as the evening news reports the day’s tragedies and stories of people killing people. Thank you “El Olam-The Eternal and Everlasting God" who works His purposes throughout the ages and gives strength to the weary. I am weary but I am not helpless. I can intercede for these people for You are there and You have the power to work good out of these dreadful sorrows.

The day is nearly done. Thank you “Jehovah-Rapha-The Lord Who Heals", for giving us rest for our minds and bodies. We watch in awe as the sun drops behind the pines and paints them as black silhouettes against the salmon colored sky.

Now our day is finished. Yet as the earth turns before the solar rays, in the east is a new day, a new sunrise. Like a rippling wave across the face of the globe, the forever sunrises and sunsets never end. Continually, all around the world the name of the Lord is being lifted up in an unending wave of praise, “from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same”.

"From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord’s name is to be praised."

Psalm 113:3