Thanksgiving: underpins everything

Hebrews 12:28 says, in the NIV:"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,"
In the King James version , it is: "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:"
As for The Message: "Do you see what we’ve got? An unshakable kingdom! And do you see how thankful we must be? Not only thankful, but brimming with worship, deeply reverent before God. For God is not an indifferent bystander. He’s actively cleaning house, torching all that needs to burn, and he won’t quit until it’s all cleansed. God himself is Fire!"

Thankfulness leads to grace and WORSHIP.  And so: "Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father EVERY STEP OF THE WAY." Colossians 3:16

And I thank God for my lovely, faithful small group of ten years. TEN YEARS! Ten years of knowing each other intimately, sharing deepest joys, struggles and longings. Ten years of faithfulness.