Bless the Lord, O My Soul

Lookie what I found today!!!!!  Dry, crunchy, bright, beautiful leaves!!!!!  Autumn is here, and I wore jeans, cowboy boots, and a scarf today, just for the fun of it.  :)  Ahhh, what a wonderful, wonderful day!  It is amazing what joy a dead leaf can bring.  :)

Autumn makes me happy, so delightfully happy!  Listening to some of my favorite music, doing office work for my papa, and praising God for His goodness in creating such a gloriously beautiful world. 

I read the first several chapters of Genesis today and they served as a beautiful reminder that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, our Creator, and our Redeemer.  You know - He could have made this fallen world an ugly, barren, joyless place with no change of seasons, no color.  But He didn't!  He graciously blessed us with eyes to see His handiwork, bright colors, changing seasons, stunning beauty.  We stand in awestruck wonder of His creation - the sun, the moon, the stars, incredible creatures, the miracle of a baby formed and knitted together in his mother's womb, and created with grace and wisdom that only our God possesses.  This is a beautiful world, though fallen, and I love the life that He has blessed me with!

Psalm 103 (one of my favorites!)

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord executes righteousness
And justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the children of Israel.

The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.

 For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
For the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
And its place remembers it no more.
But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting
On those who fear Him,
And His righteousness to children’s children,
To such as keep His covenant,
And to those who remember His commandments to do them.

The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all.

Bless the Lord, you His angels,
Who excel in strength, who do His word,
Heeding the voice of His word.
Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,
You ministers of His, who do His pleasure.
Bless the Lord, all His works,
In all places of His dominion.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!