Here's the (tenfold) result of a (deliberate/conscious) brainstorming exercise I engaged in this (Tuesday, November 26th, NZ-time) afternoon - for what it's worth...
Ten things to be/that I can genuinely be grateful for...
#For a God Who declares righteous the ungodly who believe in Him
...to one not working, but believing upon the God that justifieth the ungodly, - his faith is reckoned for righteousness (Romans 4:5 - as re-rendered (p.132) in William R Sewell's ROMANS Verse by Verse : originally from the Holy Bible: Revised Version)
...to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (King James Bible)
In other words, for re-creation ordained by God the Father, obtained/purchased by a self-sacrificing, self-denying Substitute and Saviour/Redeemer, the Son of God and Son of Man, and ultimately effected/enacted by God the Holy Spirit
#For a truly unique ('one-of-a-kind'), deeply spiritual (if not particularly religious), counter-cultural, yet highly dysfunctional (extended) family
#For the gift of life...from a benevolent Creator - and my earthly parents
#For a blessed place (nation/city/suburb and surrounds) to grow up in (God's Own/Godzone; or Aotearoa-New Zealand, as it's perhaps somewhat better known)
#For wisdom (and grace) to become healthy/maintain good health
#For spiritual blessings galore c/o a wonderful LORD - Jehovah Jireh
...including...
#the bounties (depths/realms of hidden treasures) of/in God's very own (sacred) words
#the inestimable Gift of God's Holy Spirit - His own dear Presence within to lead, guide and walk alongside
#The bounties of Nature (aesthetic beauty in skies and clouds, seas/forests/mountains/scenescapes)
#'a friend like Ben'...and his generosity in not only regularly *'ravishing my heart' with stunning pics of the foregoing, but providing me with the means to view them, a laptop (computer), an all-important tool of the trade to allow/enable me to keep on keeping on providing you, my loyal, devoted viewership across and around the globe, with my musings upon this, that, and especially the other...
*I like the phrase - despite its rather questionable background/undertone; and simply employ it here to express my deep appreciation to a kindred soul/spirit who has thus and so brightened my day each and every time I've undertaken to get online (and especially onto and into my blogsites)
Postscript (3 days on):
How about these two extra blessings (i.e. causes for gratitude) for good measure...
#The inestimable blessing of song...about which it is quite literally difficult to know where to begin
#Incredibly enough, in view of the widespread public (and especially mainstream media) opprobrium into which this particular 'breed' has come over recent decades - I hereby pay an honest, heartfelt salute to the TV - and especially radio - evangelists (naturally, of the Christian variety/persuasion) of this world, without whose faithful ministrations my own faith (and Christian walk) might be in *more of a shambles than it/they presently is/are
*Seeming to damn 'em all with faint praise, I now see (re-reading what I've written), but it's not meant in that negative-sounding way, truly!
Ten things to be/that I can genuinely be grateful for...
#For a God Who declares righteous the ungodly who believe in Him
...to one not working, but believing upon the God that justifieth the ungodly, - his faith is reckoned for righteousness (Romans 4:5 - as re-rendered (p.132) in William R Sewell's ROMANS Verse by Verse : originally from the Holy Bible: Revised Version)
...to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness (King James Bible)
In other words, for re-creation ordained by God the Father, obtained/purchased by a self-sacrificing, self-denying Substitute and Saviour/Redeemer, the Son of God and Son of Man, and ultimately effected/enacted by God the Holy Spirit
#For a truly unique ('one-of-a-kind'), deeply spiritual (if not particularly religious), counter-cultural, yet highly dysfunctional (extended) family
#For the gift of life...from a benevolent Creator - and my earthly parents
#For a blessed place (nation/city/suburb and surrounds) to grow up in (God's Own/Godzone; or Aotearoa-New Zealand, as it's perhaps somewhat better known)
#For wisdom (and grace) to become healthy/maintain good health
#For spiritual blessings galore c/o a wonderful LORD - Jehovah Jireh
...including...
#the bounties (depths/realms of hidden treasures) of/in God's very own (sacred) words
#the inestimable Gift of God's Holy Spirit - His own dear Presence within to lead, guide and walk alongside
#The bounties of Nature (aesthetic beauty in skies and clouds, seas/forests/mountains/scenescapes)
#'a friend like Ben'...and his generosity in not only regularly *'ravishing my heart' with stunning pics of the foregoing, but providing me with the means to view them, a laptop (computer), an all-important tool of the trade to allow/enable me to keep on keeping on providing you, my loyal, devoted viewership across and around the globe, with my musings upon this, that, and especially the other...
*I like the phrase - despite its rather questionable background/undertone; and simply employ it here to express my deep appreciation to a kindred soul/spirit who has thus and so brightened my day each and every time I've undertaken to get online (and especially onto and into my blogsites)
Postscript (3 days on):
How about these two extra blessings (i.e. causes for gratitude) for good measure...
#The inestimable blessing of song...about which it is quite literally difficult to know where to begin
#Incredibly enough, in view of the widespread public (and especially mainstream media) opprobrium into which this particular 'breed' has come over recent decades - I hereby pay an honest, heartfelt salute to the TV - and especially radio - evangelists (naturally, of the Christian variety/persuasion) of this world, without whose faithful ministrations my own faith (and Christian walk) might be in *more of a shambles than it/they presently is/are
*Seeming to damn 'em all with faint praise, I now see (re-reading what I've written), but it's not meant in that negative-sounding way, truly!
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