Tried With Fire

Happy Thanksgiving! This isn't a traditional "Thanksgiving" hymn, but I affirm every word of it. 1. Thy mercy, my God, is the theme of my song, The joy of my heart. and the boast of my tongue; Thy free grace alone, from the first to the last, Hath won my affections, and bound my soul fast. 2. Without Thy sweet mercy I could not live here; Sin would reduce me to utter despair; But, through Thy free goodness, my spirits revive, And He that first made me still keeps me alive. 3. Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart, Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart; Dissolved by Thy goodness, I fall to the ground, And weep to the praise of the mercy I’ve found. 4. Great Father of mercies, Thy goodness I own, And the covenant love of Thy crucified Son; All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine. All praise to the Spirit, Whose whisper divine Seals mercy, and pardon, and righteousness mine. Words - John Stocker (1776),...

ht: Fake Science

I am thankful for: - A hot mug of tea as I finish up the last bit of work. - Enjoying the stillness of the morning before it's time to start cooking a simple Thanksgiving meal. - A few days of rest and quiet at home. - Family and friends who are greatly loved and appreciated. - Many tears shed and many lessons learned so far this year but with the assurance that God is working all things for good. - The means of grace through the local church that keep me grounded. - Jesus' call for the weary and heavy laden to come to Him and find rest for our souls. (Matt. 11:28-30) Happy Thanksgiving! Photo credit: By Ireen Trummer (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

1. We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing; he chastens and hastens his will to make known; the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing. Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own. 2 Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining, ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine; so from the beginning the fight we were winning; thou, Lord, wast at our side; all glory be thine! 3 We all do extol thee, thou leader triumphant, and pray that thou still our defender wilt be. Let thy congregation escape tribulation; thy name be ever praised! O Lord, make us free!

I hope your Thanksgiving won't be like this one. :)

Here's a shout-out to the ordinary Christians who have made an impact on my life. They may never write a best-selling book, be big-name conference speakers, or even have a blog that makes the top 150. However, they are faithful in little ways that count in the sight of God. I'm thankful for: My parents - God has kept them into their 80's. They love Him. They love His Word. They shared Christ with me. My sister - It's tough when you live far way from aging parents. I'm thankful for my sister's loving service to them. She's always been there for me, too. My daughter, my closest friend and my sister in Christ. My pastor who faithfully preaches the Word and shepherds the flock. The elders in the church - Their vision for the church is not about numbers and programs but about keeping us centered in the gospel for the glory of God. They've sacrificed their time and energy to serve this faith family, and I thank God for them The sister who coordin...

Home To Thanksgiving: Currier and Ives Psalm 103, a psalm of David 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,  3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear ...