Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for...

Snow! Our area is under a blizzard warning with possibly 8-10 inches of snow. It started last night and will continue through this afternoon. We have about 5 inches now by my guesstimate, but I couldn't get the front screen door open because of the drift. My office closed today, so this gives me a chance to get caught up with the work that piled up when I was on vacation over Christmas. I'm also thankful I can work from home, as neighborhood roads never get plowed, and we won't get above freezing until Monday.

Heat. The thermostat acted up on Sunday evening and wasn't tripping the furnace. Thankfully, it started working again.

Family. We spent Christmas with extended family. We had a wonderful time eating lots of good Chinese food, talking, laughing, crying, and praying together. It's a challenge assisting aging parents make some difficult decisions. I am especially thankful for my sister and brother-in-law and the countless ways look after them.

The local church. The saying goes, "Home is where the heart is", but home is also where the local church is. When we are away over a Sunday, it is so good to come back.

The resurrection. After being with my parents, this line from the Apostles' Creed and the first Q&A  from the Heidelberg Catechism always comfort me:

"I believe in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting."

Q. What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A. That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven; in fact, all things must work together for my salvation.  Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.