I Thank God For…

1. Fellowship with those who fellowship with God and live by His Word. (4-10-22; 7:21 am)
2. Very good preaching by Steve Zehr in our church the last three services. I have been blessed. (1-23-22; 11:57 am)
3. Little ducks. (1-9-22; 11:28 am)
4. Helpful people in my life. (12-19-21; 10:44 am)
5. Jury duty deferral. (11-28-21; 11:06 am)
6. Being both holy and merciful, just and gracious. (11-26-21; 6:03 am)
7. Faithful, trustworthy friends. (11-21-21; 7:16 am)
8. His righteous judgments and ordinances — see Psalm 119:60. (11-14-21; 8:23 am)
9. His mercy and loving kindness which fill the earth — so says Psalm 119:64. (11-7-21; 1:42 pm)
10. A free operating system upgrade. (10-31-21; 10:47 am)
11. Children who help their aging parents. (10-17-21; 7:33 am)
12. Knowing my here-unrecorded thankfulnesses the last several weeks. (7-25-21; 6:31 pm)
13. The honor-able parents He gave me. (7-1-21; 8:45 am)
14. The privilege of going to prayer meeting tonight. So amazing to be back! It had been a long time since I had gone to a church service. (6-30-21; 9:32 pm)
15. This being the last mask-and-distancing-mandate day here in Oregon. Maybe I can go to prayer meeting tomorrow night after missing church services for a year or so. (6-29-21; 10:27 pm)
16. An artificially cooled meeting house for our congregation. (6-27-21; 7:06 am)
17. A little fan to put on the table beside me to blow on me at close range since the temperature was too close to 90° in the house. That was a little over two hours ago. It’s 86° right now, so we’re slowly headed in the right direction. 😀 It’s still 92° outside, after getting to 108°. (6-26-21; 10:01 pm)
18. A certain political decision in our state capital. Kate Brown, the governor here in Oregon, announced this morning that the emergency COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted no later than June 30. (6-25-21; 6:08 pm)
19. The possibility and the privilege of laying up treasures in Heaven. (6-24-21; 2:58 pm)
20. Dora’s and Andrew’s help around here! (6-23-21; 8:12 pm)
21. Each Father’s Day greeting and/or gift I received. (6-22-21; 7:38 pm
22. Levers, knobs, buttons, handles, and switches. (6-21-21; 1:45 pm)
23. Shade. And shadows too. Though not always either. Or both. (6-20-21; 11:07 am)
24. Memory. Even though I’m not remembering what I’d really had in mind to put here today! 😳 (6-19-21; 6:25 pm)
25. Real friends. The kind who truly care. And show it. And besides craving that kind of friend, I want to be that kind of friend. (6-18-21; 6:11 pm)
26. The dress order Ruby got and did. (6-17-21; 8:44 pm)
27. Sandals. Much easier on my east big toe than shoes. (6-16-21; 7:25 pm)
28. Lumber scraps. Useful and handy for projects as well as for sustaining brush pile fires. (6-15-21; 6:13 pm)
29. Gary Miller’s book Surviving the Tech Tsunami. I’m not done reading it yet, but it definitely ranks as a must-read book! If you haven’t yet, I urge you to read it. (6-14-21; 6:15 pm)
30. The blessing of hearing the youth sing for the service tonight. Because of governor’s restrictions here in Oregon, I didn’t attend the service, but I was able to listen via my phone. Not nearly the same, but a blessing even so. (6-13-21; 7:50 pm)
31. For fellowship with those who fellowship with God and live by His Word. Meditate on Psalm 119:63 for the background to this thanksgiving. 🙂 (6-12-21; 6:04 am)
32. Stuff to read. Lots of it. In both my languages. And the ability to read and comprehend it. At least most of the time. (6-11-21; 7:53 pm)
33. Bringing Isaiah 50:4 to my attention in my bedtime Scripture reading last night: “The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary…” I want so much to be the kind of person that can speak that way to the weary! (6-10-21; 6:55 am)
34. Second chances. He has given me so many of them! So I ask myself, Who should be getting a second chance from me, and I’m not giving it to him? (6-8-21; 8:07 pm)
35. Peace, confidence, and courage. Well, some of the time, at least. 😳 Such as when I avail myself of God’s option for me to be delivered from fear. (6-7-21; 6:53 am)
36. His mercy. It endures for ever…and ever…and ever…and ever…and ever… (Psalm 136). (6-6-21; 8:08 am)
37. His work in bringing about Governor Brown’s (Oregon) change of heart about masks and physical distancing. I’m so happy at the prospect of being able to go to church again with a free, clear conscience before God! (6-5-21; 7:01 am)
38. Pain? (6-4-21; 7:00 am)
39. Help. (6-3-21; 7:58 pm)
40. The cool south breeze! Forecast high for today only 89°. (6-2-21; 8:25 am)
41. The cool freshness of the morning (high 50s). Especially since the forecast high for today is 96°. (6-1-21; 6:01 am)
42. The privilege and blessing of serving some five years in northwest Mexico. We moved back to Oregon from there 30 years ago this month…and never returned to live and serve in Mexico again despite visions and plans to do so. Now we’re too old. (5-31-21; 5:37 pm)
43. His faithfulness. I also thank Him for my Mom’s new acrostic, reminding me of His faithfulness. (5-30-21; 10:36 am)
44. Those who have shown us mercy. In my writing about almsgiving today, I was surprised to see its “linguistic” connection to mercy — in the Biblical Greek, that is. (5-29-21; 1:04 pm)
45. Online bill payment. I remember writing checks, tearing off enclosures, licking postage stamps, addressing envelopes, licking envelopes (not the whole thing, mind you!), and walking the payment out to the mailbox. I also remember having to find a local place to pay in person when you’d run out of time to pay through the mail. (5-28-21; 5:47 am)
46. Work. And the income some of it brings. (5-27-21; 8:31 pm)
47. Radio and other energy waves — though I suppose I mean particles or pulses or perhaps even quanta. (5-26-21; 12:50 pm)
48. Generic medicines — and Big Pharma that contributed to the lengthy process of making them possible. (5-25-21; 5:36 am)
49. Books. Real paper-page, hold-them-in-my-hands books. Especially old ones. (5-24-21; 11:26 am)
50. Knowing what I need — Matthew 6:8,32. (5-23-21; 5:36 am)
    ✅ “your Father knoweth what things ye have need of”
    ✅ “your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of”
51. Caring for my soul. In contrast to this from my Psalm 142:4 reading this morning: “no man cared for my soul.” (5-22-21; 5:58 am)
52. Food Bank and Gleaners. (5-21-21; 10:24 am)
53. Oregon’s greater “Covid freedom” relative to Ontario’s. (5-20-21; 6:30 am)
54. The freshness after a rare rain shower. (5-19-21; 12:59 pm)
55. Being a listening, doing God. Oh, don’t get me wrong. It feels at times like He isn’t. But I believe He is, and so I thank Him. (5-18-21; 5:47 am)
56. The option to file for an automatic extension on our tax returns. And to be able to do it online via the IRS site. And to have got it done early this morning. (5-17-21; 8:18 am)
57. Mercy. His mercy. I read about it repeatedly this morning — in Psalm 136. (Today is Day 136 in 2021, you know.) Then I backtracked to read some in Psalm 119. I was ready for verse 159. And it talks about mercy as well! Then I remembered that Jesus declared the merciful blessed in the Beatitudes. And I remembered that God shows mercy to the merciful. So I went full circle — from His mercy to me, to my mercy to others, to His mercy to me. Yes, I’m grateful for mercy. (5-16-21; 7:07 am)
58. Time to think things through. (5-15-21; 11:19 am)
59. Power mowers and Dollar Tree. (5-14-21; 6:09 pm)
60. Fresh, cool mornings. 🙂 (5-13-21; 1:50 pm)
61. Margy Miller. Over the years our lives overlapped in Mexico, she was an indispensable supporter and encourager to me. I am deeply in her debt. After decades of service in Guaymas Valley, she left about three hours ago, seemingly for the last time. May the Lord sustain her during this enormous transition. She is not coming home to Oregon; she’s leaving home. God bless her. Amen. (5-12-21; 12:10 pm)
62. Work from home. (I need more and of a different kind — to supplement what I already do.) It came to me out-of-the-blue a little over 8 years ago. 🙏 (5-11-21; 5:49 am)
63. Mom’s car to borrow on the spur of the moment — our car sprung a cooling system leak. Actually, it appears the water pump is leaking. But the engineers who designed the engine put the water pump where it’s easily accessible (top of the engine, though not on top of it) but where its leaks get flang about by whirling belts and roller thingies. Happy Mothers Day in Mexico! (5-10-21; 6:00 am)
64. Mom — she is such an encourager and supporter in our lives…and has been for a long time! In the last year or so, she made four Bible verse acrostics: 1, 2, 3, 4. Read them and be encouraged yourself! (5-9-21; 5:32 am)
65. Livestream technology that makes it possible for us to watch our three far-away granddaughters sing in their school’s closing program happening right now. (5-8-21; 8:11 am)
66. Mental health — a sound mind, rational thinking processes, and a solid connection with reality. (5-7-21; 11:13 am)
67. The friends I have. (5-6-21; 7:22 pm)
68. Being my heavenly Father who knows we “have need of all these things” like Jesus said in Matthew 6:32. (5-5-21; 8:26 pm)
69. Online banking (though I miss the personal we-know-each-other-by-name contacts with bank personnel). (5-4-21; 6:30 am)
70. A kinda good view of Mt. Hood, this morning beautifully backlit by a bright, cheery, cloud-enhanced sunrise. (5-3-21; 6:35 am)
71. Those who read my stuff on my sites and show their agreement/support with comments, likes, and shares. Thank you! (5-2-21; 5:31 am)
72. Pan American Literature Mission, the multi-lingual Bible correspondence lesson ministry of Warren and Thelma Sullens in Tucson, AZ. I did their Spanish courses as a child/youth in Mexico. Ruby did the English ones in Oregon. Then we used the Spanish ones (of course) in the early 80s as part of our own missionary service in Guaymas Valley. (5-1-21; 10:39 am)
73. Pan American Literature Mission of Tucson, AZ. (4-30-21; 8:35 pm)
74. Christ’s tenacity in His work in me! He will not quit if I am yielded to Him. I. Am. His. Workmanship. (4-29-21; 5:56 am)
75. Thinking of me. (4-28-21; 7:30 am)
76. The lesson of the feathers… (4-27-21; 7:25 am)
77. Parents who trained us to say, “Thank you” and “Please.” (Both expressions signal gratitude, you know.) I’ve been in the presence of adults (adults!!) who had to be prompted by their spouses to say “Thank you” for a gift. Wow. 😑 (4-26-21; 7:41 am)
78. Antacid and digest enzymes. (4-25-21; 1:47 pm)
79. The touch of His love. (4-24-21; 7:38 am)
80. Humbling Himself to “behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!” (Psalm 113:6). (4-23-21; 6:15 am)
81. Freedom of choice…and options from which to choose (to make freedom of choice mean something, you know). (4-22-21; 6:32 am)
82. Doing good things for me even when He knows I won’t notice enough to give Him thanks. (4-21-21; 1:55 pm)
83. My Arizona friend Ken’s voluntary, free work doing a valve job and/or ring job on the 390 in our 1970 Ford pick-up. That would have been in the early 80’s when Ruby and I were serving as missionaries in northwest Mexico. I’m still thankful some 40 years later, Ken! (4-20-21; 1:46 pm)
84. The “immediate” difference a new spark plug made in our push mower. I “plugged” it in, “plugged” its cable to it, and gave the cord a yankee-doodle. The mower started with one pull of the starter cord (whereas with the old plug, it wouldn’t start no matter how many times I yanked)! (4-19-21; 2:51 pm)
85. His goodness, mercy, and redemption — yes, for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men! (4-18-21; 5:09 am)
86. Fans. (4-17-21; 8:24 pm)
87. Our healthy chicks. (4-16-21; 12:42 pm)
88. The DMV appointment here in our home town so Ruby can renew her already-expired license. The first available appointment (after there not having been any for days) was for June 2. I took it. (4-15-21; 7:26 am)
89. His merciful generosity and generous mercy to me. The more I live, the more I realize how much I need both. (4-14-21; 8:10 am)
90. The gift of thought and the ability to use it — clear thought, analytical thought, sequential thought, critical thinking. (4-13-21; 3:00 pm)
91. His love, wisdom, foreknowledge, sovereignty, plans, faithfulness, and grace. Three days in a row with their own surprising and/or resurging heavies to burden the soul and occupy the mind. And naturally wondering what comes today. But this is sure: God’s love, wisdom, foreknowledge, sovereignty, plans, faithfulness, and grace. Oh, to rest in that and in Him! (4-12-21; 6:48 am)
92. Assurance and hope. (4-11-21; 5:35 am)
93. Fresh raspberries…in cane form yet…which we received from our friend Chris a week ago Thursday…and planted yesterday. (4-10-21; 6:04 am)
94. The beauty of bright yellow dandelions against dark green grass. (4-9-21; 5:51 am)
95. The three C’s: Coke, coffee, and C₁₃H₁₈O₂! (4-8-21; 12:01 pm)
96. Making me worthy to be among “the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Psalm 95:7). (4-7-21; 5:31 am)
97. WordPerfect and WordPress (and even Microsoft Word) — but I thank Him far more and on an entirely different scale for His Word. (4-6-21; 6:45 am)
98. My friend in Costa Rica who sent me a couple photos of beautiful Easter flowers. (4-5-21; 5:21 am)
99. Such love! (4-4-21; 10:19 am)
100. Those few who over the years have chipped in to help with costs associated with operating Anabaptists. (4-3-21; 7:06 am)
101. A useful conscience combined with a Bible-trained sense of right and wrong. (4-2-21; 10:15 am)
102. Ruby — my friend since 1976, my girlfriend since 1977, my wife since 1980! (4-1-21; 7:52 am)
103. A better night’s rest than normal. (3-31-21; 6:17 am)
104. His being gracious and truthful, merciful and just, forgiving and righteous. (3-30-21; 7:00 am)
105. Keeping my fully loaded coffee mug from falling off the kitchen counter and spilling all that hot, fresh, delicious coffee on the floor (and maybe breaking my special mug) — I gave the mug an inadvertent good bump 2-3 minutes ago! (3-29-21; 7:31 am)
106. A good legacy; a good heritage. (3-28-21; 6:32 am)
107. A safe place to walk — this morning with crisp coolness, gray fog, singing birds, dark green cemetery grass, and the bright yellow of daffodils at the Schrock tombstone. (3-23-19; 7:23 am)
108. Simple joys, simple tastes, simple living. (11-24-17; 9:44 pm)
109. All the hours of time and gallons of fuel saved by being able to walk to church. (Thanksgiving Day 2017; 11-23-17; 7:53 pm)
110. The 2TB USB drive given to me by our youngest son yesterday afternoon! (11-26-16; 6:33am)
111. Q-tips and Bandaids. (11-25-16; 6:36 am)
112. My friend Jim who unilaterally and unprompted-by-me prayed for me last Saturday night, asking God to give me a good night’s sleep. God did! I remember waking up that morning later than usual (though still before six, as I recall) and feeling better than usual (which doesn’t take much, actually), and marveling. I found out that evening that Jim had prayed for me the night before. (Thanksgiving Day 2016; 11-24-16; 6:36 am)
113. Love that will not let me go. (11-27-15; 5:52 am)
114. Parents who trained me to express gratefulness. (11-26-15; 8:43 pm)