# Lifestyles & Discussion > Peace Through Religion >  What are you grateful for today?

## Miss Annie

I am asking this question because it is so important for us to be continually looking at God's gracious gifts in our lives.  Sometimes they are even disguised as troubles.  
I am also making this post because it will be so nice to have a thread with some fellowship instead of just arguing! 

I am grateful for my children.  I am grateful for my dogs.  I am grateful for my indoor plumbing! 

Philippians 4:4-9
*4 Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.*
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication *with thanksgiving* let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
*8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.*
9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

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## Dr.3D

I'm thankful, God has blessed me with two wonderful companions. (dogs)
I'm thankful, God has blessed me with enough to eat, good health and a warm place to live.

I could go on, but I have to get ready for bed.

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## Nang

> I'm thankful, God has blessed me with two wonderful companions. (dogs)
> I'm thankful, God has blessed me with enough to eat, good health and a warm place to live.
> 
> I could go on, but I have to get ready for bed.


I am thankful for even those who oppose God's truth, for it necessarily causes me to look closer at His Word.

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## Sola_Fide

> I am thankful for even those who oppose God's truth, for it necessarily causes me to look closer at His Word.


+rep

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## fr33

I'm grateful to be alive, sheltered, and fed. I built that.

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## green73

That fat ass rare steak off the grill that is making my tummy oh so happy now.

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## James Madison

A religion thread not ruined by Calvinists.

Edit: too late

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## Christian Liberty

> A religion thread not ruined by Calvinists.
> 
> Edit: too late


I thought you were a Calvinist too?

Anyway... I'm grateful for life, both spiritual and physical, I am grateful for God's gracious gift of salvation, I am grateful for my brothers and sisters in Christ, those who I correspond with face to face, via the internet, and those who are throughout the world.  I'm grateful for an ability to speak, that I might preach the gospel.

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## Miss Annie

Today I am grateful for God's word which gives me understanding into God himself.  I am grateful for the Holy Spirit who brings me comfort, enlightenment, guidance, peace, joy and love for others.  Also, today, I am still grateful for indoor plumbing!!

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## pcosmar

Many things,, but today,,, the temperature. 33 degrees and melting.

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## eduardo89

I'm grateful that this island's church is right across the street from the office I'm working out of so I can attend Mass tomorrow  

(Yes, I'm working Saturdays and Sundays till 11pm, consulting sucks  )

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## RJB

I'm thankful for the smell of fresh-dug, spring, dirt as I planted some Jerusalem artichokes in my garden.

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## VIDEODROME

> Many things,, but today,,, the temperature. 33 degrees and melting.


Seriously,  I was in the Upper Peninsual during the winter.  Now I'm glad I'm in Alabama.  

Wow what a difference.

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## Miss Annie

Today I am grateful for The Holy Spirit who blesses me with gentleness and kindness so that I may respond to life's situations and people in the way that God would have me.  
I am also grateful for the children that I have in my life.  Mine as well as others.  They are so beautiful and it is such a blessing to be able to help them in life and learn how to maneuver in this hideous world that we now are faced with.  And I am STILL grateful for the indoor plumbing!!!

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## Miss Annie

Ohhhhh......... I have another one to add to today!!!   Last year in the spring I planted some bleeding hearts in my flower bed.  The weather was so weird here last year.  Very rainy and cold summer.  My garden rotted from being over watered and I never turned on the sprinkler.  These bleeding hearts rotted and died by August with everything else.  I looked in my flower bed today and low and behold they are alive AND blooming!!  Thank you God for pretty things!!

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## heavenlyboy34

Today I am grateful for my warm and beautiful parish family.  And _most_ RPFers.

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## heavenlyboy34

> Today I am grateful for The Holy Spirit who blesses me with gentleness and kindness so that I may respond to life's situations and people in the way that God would have me.  
> I am also grateful for the children that I have in my life.  Mine as well as others.  They are so beautiful and it is such a blessing to be able to help them in life and learn how to maneuver in this hideous world that we now are faced with.  And I am STILL grateful for the indoor plumbing!!!


Now that you mention it, I'm grateful for that too.   I don't have any kids, but the ones I do know are great little people.

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## Natural Citizen

> Ohhhhh......... I have another one to add to today!!!   Last year in the spring I planted some bleeding hearts in my flower bed.  The weather was so weird here last year.  Very rainy and cold summer.  My garden rotted from being over watered and I never turned on the sprinkler.  These bleeding hearts rotted and died by August with everything else.  I looked in my flower bed today and low and behold they are alive AND blooming!!  Thank you God for pretty things!!


They are nice little plants. I had them pop last year but the thing is that I never planted them. I was going to pull them thinking that they were weeds but it was one of those things where i thought to myself that it was a weird looking weed and so I left them. Sometimes even weeds provide nice flowers.

There were some others too that got really tall. I don't know what they were but they had thousands of tiny white daisy like flowers on them and the honey bees were swarming all over them all summer which was good. I see them growing wild on the side of the road everywhere though. I let the seeds dry on the stalks and then spread them in the mulch back there. Maybe they'll pop again. Who knows. It was good having the bees around though.

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## Miss Annie

> Now that you mention it, I'm grateful for that too.   I don't have any kids, but the ones I do know are great little people.


I just love kids!  They are such beautiful little people.  They don't understand things in the world right now.  My daughter has a friend who is struggling with being bullied.  The school doesn't care, they call it teenage drama.  This girl is the sweetest thing.  I told her today that the essence of the situation is not about her personally, but that evil always attacks good, and that we must just stand. 
I find it appalling these days how apathetic parents are.     As long as their kids are not bothering them, they just don't care what they are doing - or struggling with. 
Again....... reminds me of this scripture:  The most "natural" form of "natural affection" is that between a parent and a child.  It is going away, quickly. 
2 Timothy 3
King James Version (KJV)
3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 *Without natural affection*, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

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## Miss Annie

> They are nice little plants. I had them pop last year but the thing is that I never planted them. I was going to pull them thinking that they were weeds but it was one of those things where i thought to myself that it was a weird looking weed and so I left them. Sometimes even weeds provide nice flowers.
> 
> There were some others too that got really tall. I don't know what they were but they had thousands of tiny white daisy like flowers on them and the honey bees were swarming all over them all summer which was good. I see them growing wild on the side of the road everywhere though. I let the seeds dry on the stalks and then spread them in the mulch back there. Maybe they'll pop again. Who knows. It was good having the bees around though.


I love flowers!  And you are right, even weeds sometimes make nice flowers!   I hope the seeds that you scattered come up so you can enjoy them again this year!

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## heavenlyboy34

I am thankful to be double-jointed.  It makes me less likely to be injured doing jutsu techniques and makes  me harder to defeat.

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## Terry1

I am indeed thankful for many blessings in my life both physical and spiritual, but I believe that what I'm most thankful for is God giving me a heart of flesh to enable me to do the work that I do.  To help heal the sick and care for those less fortunate than myself.  

I can remember many years ago when I worked in a very highly regulated, stressful and demanding field where I had to travel constantly and keep up appearances on a continual basis.  I never remember having a good nights rest during those years, working almost around the clock to maintain a business that really seemed to serve no good purpose for the kingdom of heaven.

Not until the latter half of my life did I make the decision with the Lords guidance to sell everything I had, which consisted of two large farms a business and all of my horses.  It was one of the most difficult decisions I'd ever made, but now my life had become simple without stress.  

Although I knew that God was blazing my new horizons leading me into another world of existence I had never known, I never once doubted which direction I was headed.  He led me into a field of work that just seem to me to be what I should have always been doing and that is caring for the sick and the disabled.  Now when I lay my head down at night, I thank God for my humble home, my wonderful loving Christian husband and the people God has placed in my care.

Nothing makes one more grateful for their life, health and abundance than caring for those less fortunate than ourselves.  As I watch them struggle with the simplest of tasks, my compassion and respect for them grows more every day and I realize that God indeed has answered my prayer that I prayed so long ago and that was to give me that heart of flesh to love and have compassion for those in need.  I knew then that God had indeed blazed my horizons with a new life and a new heart enabling me to do what He has called me to do and that is to love those and help those He's placed in my care.

When I love--I love hard and letting go is even harder for me.  My heart breaks with every loss and it makes me realize more every day that sacrifice is indeed the true essence of love.  For without sacrifice--there can be no love.

I am thankful today indeed.

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## Miss Annie

Today I am grateful that my daughter has such an awesome homebound teacher that is even willing to come to see her on the weekends!   I am grateful for the ability to donate to RescueChristians.org, for they I believe are doing some of the most important work of our time.  I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit who ministers to me 24/7 no matter my state of heart or mind!  Sometimes it is with a hug and sometimes a little much needed kick in the pants.

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## Terry1

> Today I am grateful that my daughter has such an awesome homebound teacher that is even willing to come to see her on the weekends!   I am grateful for the ability to donate to RescueChristians.org, for they I believe are doing some of the most important work of our time.  I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit who ministers to me 24/7 no matter my state of heart or mind!  Sometimes it is with a hug and sometimes a little much needed kick in the pants.



Thanks for sharing that link Annie.  It's certainly a worthy cause to donate to.  Most of us can't imagine what it's like for some Christians in those parts of the world where they are persecuted and put to death for their faith.  We need these reminders as wake up calls as to just how blessed we are to be able to live free from such persecution at this time.  I'm indeed thankful for that today as always.

Happy for you and your daughter that you have help coming to your home for her.  Have a beautiful day Annie dear.

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## Miss Annie

> Thanks for sharing that link Annie.  It's certainly a worthy cause to donate to.  Most of us can't imagine what it's like for some Christians in those parts of the world where they are persecuted and put to death for their faith.  We need these reminders as wake up calls as to just how blessed we are to be able to live free from such persecution at this time.  I'm indeed thankful for that today as always.
> 
> Happy for you and your daughter that you have help coming to your home for her.  Have a beautiful day Annie dear.


Thank you my sweet Sistah!   You have a lovely day too!

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## moostraks

I am thankful for a warm breeze blowing through the house which is sending the stale air of winter away. I am also thankful for my large, healthy family who I have surrounding me and that one of the sweetest people on earth shares his life with me, my dh.

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## heavenlyboy34

Toady I am thankful for my warm and beautiful parish family and my RPF brothers/sisters in Christ.

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## donnay

I am thankful my husband is home safe and sound.

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## heavenlyboy34

> I am thankful my husband is home safe and sound.


w00t!   Give the old man ~hugs~ for me.

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## Miss Annie

Today I am and have been very grateful for my dogs.  They are just so stinkin sweet.   Being around them brings out the sweet in me, even when I feel more like a pint of vinegar! LOL
I am so grateful for my children!  They are so funny!   They keep me laughing even when I want to cry!  
Still,...... so very grateful for indoor plumbing!!

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## Kevin007

grateful for life. grateful for Jesus.

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## Kevin007

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH6TJU0qWoY

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## heavenlyboy34

Grateful to be spending Good Friday and Pascha this year with fellow good Christians and unhindered by the hateful people in the world and on the interwebz.

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## Miss Annie

Today I am grateful for my devotionals!  They always seem to start my day off exactly with the frame of mind that I need to carry me through my day! 
I am grateful for God's hand in and on my life.  Watching him weave situations and solutions together is like watching an artist paint a painting!  
I am also STILL grateful for indoor plumbing!

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## heavenlyboy34

Feeling grateful to have been able to attend liturgy last night.

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## Terry1

I am grateful for not having to cook tonight because I'll be cooking all day tomorrow.  It's take out tonight, whatever everyone wants--whew--thank ya Lord! 

Got back from the grocery store a little while ago, thought I was going to have to pay to bribe someone for their cart--it was packed in there.  Lucky that there were still some brown eggs still left in the cooler.

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## jkr

forgiveness & mercy
the example of YESHUA

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## heavenlyboy34

> I am grateful for not having to cook tonight because I'll be cooking all day tomorrow.  It's take out tonight, whatever everyone wants--whew--thank ya Lord! 
> 
> Got back from the grocery store a little while ago, thought I was going to have to pay to bribe someone for their cart--it was packed in there.  Lucky that there were still some brown eggs still left in the cooler.


I'll have some yams and that cranberry sauce with orange zest in it and some green bean casserole, along with some ham and some water to drink.  ~hugs~

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## Terry1

> I'll have some yams and that cranberry sauce with orange zest in it and some green bean casserole, along with some ham and some water to drink.  ~hugs~


Come on over!  That's exactly how I make my cranberry sauce too, with orange zest.  If I ever fed you once--you'd live with me forever. LOL  The hub says women just don't cook like me these days.  I know how to keep my man.

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## heavenlyboy34

> Come on over!  That's exactly how I make my cranberry sauce too, with orange zest.  If I ever fed you once--you'd live with me forever. LOL  The hub says women just don't cook like me these days.  I know how to keep my man.


w00t!  If you know how to make that glaze the Honeybaked Ham Co. uses too, I'll rent a room in your house and live with y'all and eat your nummy food forevarrr.

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## Terry1

> w00t!  If you know how to make that glaze the Honeybaked Ham Co. uses too, I'll rent a room in your house and live with y'all and eat your nummy food forevarrr.


I've got five bedrooms and one spare guest room upstairs.  I can't promise you won't get fat living here though and the cats might sneak in your room and sleep on your bed occasionally.  Not to mention you might wake up to wet kisses from the pooch too.  

The hubs got a gut that he blames on me.   I keep telling him that's how other women know someone else owns him.

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## heavenlyboy34

> I've got five bedrooms and one spare guest room upstairs.  I can't promise you won't get fat living here though and the cats might sneak in your room and sleep on your bed occasionally.  Not to mention you might wake up to wet kisses from the pooch too.  
> 
> The hubs got a gut that he blames on me.   I keep telling him that's how other women know someone else owns him.


I ain't a-skeered.   I have trouble putting weight on and keeping it because I'm so daggum active. :/  Doggies are fun.  Especially the big breeds.

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## Terry1

..

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## heavenlyboy34

Looks a lot like my first doggie^^ , except she was reddish/copper colored.

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## Terry1

> Looks a lot like my first doggie^^ , except she was reddish/copper colored.


What I was going to say in the post I screwed up was that you might have to sleep with that lil guy if you stay with us. LOL  That picture was taken at our cabin in Maine while we were on vacation.

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## Kevin007

I'm grateful for my new friends I have met on here

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## heavenlyboy34

> What I was going to say in the post I screwed up was that you might have to sleep with that lil guy if you stay with us. LOL  That picture was taken at our cabin in Maine while we were on vacation.


I don't mind...so long as I don't get bitten or peed on or whatever. :P

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## VIDEODROME

I had the most awesome patty melt from Whataburger.

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## MelissaWV

I am grateful I woke up today, that there was almost nothing wrong (no pain, no aches, no hung up joints that had to be stretched and worked before I could get out of bed).  I am grateful that I live somewhere near enough to a populated area with stores and restaurants and a hospital that's always hiring and pays decently... but far away enough that there were feral piggies in my yard last night, and wild bunnies scattering this morning, and the ever-present snakes that cull the frogs and lizards for me.  I am grateful there are so many trees... and yet also grateful they're mostly on others' property (I don't ever really have to rake!).

I am grateful that today's biggest hardship will be taking care of Easter cooking, and helping my mother out with my grandmother.  I am grateful mom agreed years ago to place grandma in a nursing facility, and I am also grateful that people come together and work hard so she doesn't feel abandoned there.  

I am grateful for the phone call at 7:30am from my sister, with my niece and nephew screeching about what was in their baskets/eggs this morning.  I am very thankful they are not too spoiled to get excited over something so simple.  I am grateful that they have a terrific sense of family and that those kids are growing up pretty healthy and happy.  

I am grateful for my own family, who endured the years when I couldn't tell them what was wrong, but still managed to be supportive.  I am grateful for the patience and wisdom (sometimes... most times?) to have come home to help my parents and my grandmother out in return.  Some debts cannot be repaid but we still have to try.

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## Terry1

I am so thankful and grateful for the beautiful day we had with friends and family.  We all stuff ourselves silly and enjoyed each other's company.  It was a beautiful resurrection day.  

Hope you all had a wonderful blessed day too.

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## heavenlyboy34

Grateful to celebrate Pascha with my Parish family and was allowed to read the gospel aloud for my Russian brothers and sisters.

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## heavenlyboy34

> I am grateful I woke up today, that there was almost nothing wrong (no pain, no aches, no hung up joints that had to be stretched and worked before I could get out of bed).  I am grateful that I live somewhere near enough to a populated area with stores and restaurants and a hospital that's always hiring and pays decently... but far away enough that there were feral piggies in my yard last night, and wild bunnies scattering this morning, and the ever-present snakes that cull the frogs and lizards for me.  I am grateful there are so many trees... and yet also grateful they're mostly on others' property (I don't ever really have to rake!).
> 
> I am grateful that today's biggest hardship will be taking care of Easter cooking, and helping my mother out with my grandmother.  I am grateful mom agreed years ago to place grandma in a nursing facility, and I am also grateful that people come together and work hard so she doesn't feel abandoned there.  
> *
> I am grateful for the phone call at 7:30am from my sister, with my niece and nephew screeching about what was in their baskets/eggs this morning.*  I am very thankful they are not too spoiled to get excited over something so simple.  I am grateful that they have a terrific sense of family and that those kids are growing up pretty healthy and happy.  
> 
> I am grateful for my own family, who endured the years when I couldn't tell them what was wrong, but still managed to be supportive.  I am grateful for the patience and wisdom (sometimes... most times?) to have come home to help my parents and my grandmother out in return.  Some debts cannot be repaid but we still have to try.


From an egg hunt or just a gift?  I noticed toady that the egg hunt lasted about a minute.  All the treats were hidden in incredibly obvious places, mostly in plain view.  Several kids didn't get any because they got beaten to the punch. :/  I've noted that every egg hunt I've ever participated in or watched turned out that way.  IDK why that event is normally so poorly planned.

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## Miss Annie

> I'm grateful for my new friends I have met on here


I am grateful for you too Kevin!!  
I am grateful for God's grace and mercy!  I am grateful for the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit that he puts within me.  I am grateful for having a wonderful Easter in spite of having a husband that won't leave the bedroom, not even to come out and share a meal.  It is the fruit of the Spirit that enabled me to do that.  I still had enough peace to be able to pour love out on all of the kids that showed up at my house today.  I am grateful for the patience and longsuffering from the Holy Spirit to be able to deal with such a situation and not hate, and to be able to still display love and compassion.  I am grateful for the faith that I have in God, to know that He gives me the strength to be able to push through when my "human feelings" tell me to just give up and quit.  I am grateful for the wonderful kids that God has put in my life.  They are not only joyous, helpful, encouraging and beautiful...... but they are FUN!!    
So,..... to sum it all up, I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit because without Him, there is no way that I could have had such a wonderful Easter today!!

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## Kevin007

> I am grateful for you too Kevin!!     I am grateful for God's grace and mercy!  I am grateful for the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Spirit that he puts within me.  I am grateful for having a wonderful Easter in spite of having a husband that won't leave the bedroom, not even to come out and share a meal.  It is the fruit of the Spirit that enabled me to do that.  I still had enough peace to be able to pour love out on all of the kids that showed up at my house today.  I am grateful for the patience and longsuffering from the Holy Spirit to be able to deal with such a situation and not hate, and to be able to still display love and compassion.  I am grateful for the faith that I have in God, to know that He gives me the strength to be able to push through when my "human feelings" tell me to just give up and quit.  I am grateful for the wonderful kids that God has put in my life.  They are not only joyous, helpful, encouraging and beautiful...... but they are FUN!!      So,..... to sum it all up, I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit because without Him, there is no way that I could have had such a wonderful Easter today!!


  AMEN sister!

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