If you are a friend on FB then it is no secret that this last week has been difficult.
we’re not just talking stuff like the car broke down, thekidshave been misbehaving , and our schedule is packed. LOL That is normal stuff I am used to that kindastuff. I am not a stressed out person bynature. Sometimes I am Laid back to a fault 🙂 BUT this week has been roughand by rough I mean ROUGH!
It stated last Friday when i eound out a friend from high school lost her year long battlewith cancer! She was 30. left behind was her husband and three small kids.
On SaturdayI found out my Gram was in the hospital and she was very sick. BT we had no idea just HOW sick. By Sunday afternoon she was feeling better and everyone was vERYencouraged. Tuesday afternoon it was a different story. test results came back and they weren’t good By any menas. CANCER-and there was nothing to be done.
the doctors didn’t give a time period-they said it could be days, weeks , or even months. She is 83 years old and lived a full life! she is a NEAT lady! She is my last grandparent left. And I love her very much!
As i look back over the last year it has been difficult to say the least! It started last fall October and November as a matter of fact with the loss of an uncle and then my aunt . It has been a year of loss. an uncle, an aunt, 4 friends, and a friends baby. All of these things are difficult in and of themselves BUT together it can begin to get to you.
And as I look back at this year and the saddness , you begin to wonder what good happened this year….Especially at this time of year! How silly of me….RIGHT? I agree totally!
So as we approah thanksgiving one week from today here are alist of some of the incredible things we haehad the oppertunity to be a part of! And truly they have been such a blessing to me and toour entire family!
- A journey hat started out as VERY scary. Our youngest Little Bean had some weight issues. he would gain just a little and then loose it all and then some. Or gain not at all. we went through test after test. met with a nutritionist, tried a new diet after new diet, took him off formula and he ate massive amounts of food. celiacs disease, hyper hyperthyroidism, anemia and finally cystic fibrosis were just some of the names the dr’s were throwing around. they even eluded that I wasn’t taking care of him. I was DEVASTATED! BUT then a simple answer came. Milk…RAW cows milk. Now he is a solid baby and now at least he is registering on the growth charts in the 50th percentile for both weight and height. God had worked a miracle!
- we have an awesome church family and we so enjoy seeing them grow in their walks with God. There are just SOOO many neat stories BUT Not enough time or space sooo it’s a collection of amazing God things!
- We got to travel a bunch this year. AND it is always a blessing to get to spend the time with friends and family, and to see some pretty special places. So lets name a few *bible conference *the Creation Museum and the Answers for Pastors Conference *The Women of Faith Conference *Labor day with my family in PA *Alumni weekend at our Alma Mater
- A special Christian School where our kids are growing and learning by leaps and bounds
- A house that Is something we never thot we could have!
- Four kids who are happy. they are by far not perfect kids BUT they are filled with joy. they smile and they love with their whole hearts. they have a special discernment when it comes to hurting people and they love without boundaries!
- the ability to serve God without being afraid of our government. We can pray openly, meet openly, and spread God’s word openly.
- A husband who loves God and has a yearning to grow. he loves me and our children and our church family. He has gifts above and beyond my understanding!
- An extended family who loves and prays for us.
- And a relationship with Jesus Christ. We have his word we can pray, and learn. We knows he loves us and that we won’t e left to fend for ourselves. He loves us!
- The fact that Jesus died for each one of us. he paid the full debt of our sin.
- Our freedoms and the country we we live in. Safety and the American dream.
- That Life isn’t fair, Because if it were,we would spend eternity in torment instead of walking the streets of Gold and sitting at the feet of Jesus!!!
- Creation serves as god gift of personal artwork. Each sunset, sunrise and rainbow God paints for our enjoyment!
- And Last but not least. Peace that passes all understanding. So despite All of the bad stuff that happened this year. Whether it was the death, the earthquake, flooding, crime, car troubles saying goodbye to friends moving away or whatever the HARD thing might be you can rest in the fact that
God will never leave us nor forsake us Hebrews 13:5-6
and that
the Joy of the Lord is our strength Habakkuk 3:17-18
and that
We can do all thingsthrough Christ who strengthens us Philippians 4:13
and that
No man will ever plack usout of his hand John 10:28
It’s our choice to accept the free gift of salvation and you can have this PEACE as well!
This is definitely NOT an all encompassing list. the list of blessings can go on and on and on. BUT then I would not be able to do Thankful Thursdays anymore!! It would just be repeating the same things over and over again and you would get bored So with that said Have a Happy thanksgiving and Lord willing I will see you next week 🙂
