Thankful Thursday: Things

Last night, my Bible study played games to see off one of our own who is heading to Los Angeles to do inter-cultural missions with refugees and immigrants.

We played the game “Things”–and boy did we come up with some funny things.

This week I’m thankful…

…for things that make me think
Brushing up my knowledge on celiac-sprue, contemplating the free will of God, trying to comprehend rolling six-month weight loss statistics (that have denominators of around 100 despite having ~250 instances.)

…for things that make me smile
The resident who blessed me–not after a sneeze but after a conversation. “Bless you,” he said as he wheeled himself away. A picture of Little Miss in her adorable bumblebee costume, sent to my cell phone courtesy of her mother, my sister-in-law. Playing games with my favorite girls around a coffee shop table.

…for things that I read
Antony Flew’s There is a God, reminding me again of God’s greatness as shown through general revelation. Melinda’s story of how she met and married her husband, rejoicing my heart in God’s faithfulness to her both in her singleness and now as she embarks on marriage. A blogger I’ve followed off and on for years who announced that she and her husband are seeking a divorce, driving me to pray in a way I haven’t prayed for a long time.

…for things that I see
The sun rising in the morning and setting at night. The leaves of trees turning and falling. The lines in the middle of the road. The writing on the page and the type on the computer screen.

…for things that I hear
The laughter of friends as we play together. The sound of my big sister’s voice as she reads over the phone to my little sister. The alarm in the morning, urging me forward.

…for the One who holds all things together

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

~Colossians 1:15-20 (ESV)