It really shouldn't have come as any surprise. Yesterday I posted that today would kick off "30 Days of Gratitude" here on the blog. I had all kinds of plans for today's post, and then had one of "those" days today. We kept plugging, managed to get {most of} school done, and survived the day, but somehow now it's an hour and a half past the newish bedtime I'm trying to impose upon myself and I still haven't managed to type out a blog post.
The post I planned for today will have to wait. My eyelids are sagging worse than usual, and my brain shut down a couple of hours ago, I think.
I will say that the kids and I did get a good start on our "30 Days of Gratitude" project during (and after) school. They started gratitude lapbooks today, with Daddy even getting in on the artistic end of things. Hopefully I'll be able to post a picture or two tomorrow. They'll work on these books throughout the month.
Tonight I'll kick off my "30 Days" posts here very simply. I'm thankful for my salvation. I'm thankful that even though there was nothing lovely or desirable or redeeming about me, God chose me. He loved me enough to send His Son to save me through His death on the cross and His resurrection 3 days later from the grave. In our Reformation Day study this week, we've been talking again about the fact that there is nothing we can do to "earn" salvation...that salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. I'm thankful for His grace. I'm thankful that nothing can pluck me out of His hand. I'm thankful that even on days when I'm tired and frustrated and ready to move to Australia, He doesn't change, and neither does my security in Him.
"For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God;
"Not because of works [not the fulfillment of the Law's demands], lest any man should boast. [It is not the result of what anyone can possibly do, so no one can pride himself in it or take glory to himself.]
"For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]." ~ Ephesians 2:8-10 AMP
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"Every good gift and every perfect (free, large, full) gift is from above; it comes down from the Father of all [that gives] light, in [the shining of] Whom there can be no variation [rising or setting] or shadow cast by His turning [as in an eclipse].
"And it was of His own [free] will that He gave us birth [as sons] by [His] Word of Truth, so that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures [a sample of what He created to be consecrated to Himself]. ~ James 1:17-18
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What are you thankful for today? I'd love for you to join me in this gratitude project. Leave a comment telling what you are thankful for today, or post on your blog and link back here.
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