Thankful Thursday VI

Whew! It's been a rip-roaring week! It's been a rip-roaring fortnight! It's been a rip-roaring month! Sorry about the Thankful Thursday lag...but here's a new edition:

• Jesus and his grace...when I'm feeling happy and when I'm feeling blue
• My family who misses me, calls me, prays for me, and loves my husband
• My husband (we have been celebrating his birthday all month long!)
• My church family
• Church friend Danielle who got married last Saturday...it was a lovely wedding and a great reception
• Excellent weather for the outdoor reception...the rain held off till early Sunday morning when the reception was over!
• That I worked in food services ten years ago in college and learned 1) how to set up a buffet line (chafing dishes, sternos, and all) and 2) how to set up caterers' tablecloths and those skirts that clip on to the side of the table (you know the ones I'm talking about...you see them at Events like wedding receptions and other catered things)
• God's providence for a new job
• God's grace to labor faithfully at this (challenging) new job
• Other church friends that I trust enough to be honest about the challenges of the new job
• God's Word preached faithfully
• The Holy Spirit who keeps teaching me the Truth all week long...He also applies the grace of Jesus to my heart when I'm struggling and/or feeling blue
• The certain knowledge that God is faithful
• The sure and certain faith that God is faithful even in times like these
• Challenging jobs, challenging times, and hurtful seasons that grow compassion in my too-hard heart
• My home...it's standing!
• My little family (the two of us)...neither of us got swept out to sea or buried in rubble recently!
• My extended family...all the near and far that I love and that I'm related to...none of them got swept out to sea or buried in rubble recently!
• We've been able to afford 1) gasoline and 2) groceries even in the midst of galloping price increases
• The government...there is much that's wrong with it (let's be honest, there is!), but they allow outside help when we need it, and they allow us to have opinions that differ from their own