I'm listening to the pitter patter of water splashing around my front window, as I'm snuggled warm and safe from the wintery elements, and am so thankful for this rain. I'm thankful the fires in TN and NC are out. I'm also so sorry for the families who have lost their homes and family members due to the fires. [If you are looking for a way to help hurting families, search Renee Hand on my facebook page. She is gathering things together to deliver to many folks north of us.] As the children are already resting in their beds, (I doubt with visions of sugar plums dancing in their heads), I reflected on the fact that I haven't written in forever. Everyday I think of things I want to write about, but I never get a chance
to sit down and type away. So today, even though I've already taught all morning, picked up my sweet girl from college, lunched and led our Bible study group at the house, worked for a few hours, and went to a Women's event tonight at church, I'm going to stop and write.
We are entering the season of Advent, and have begun decorating our little Jesse tree as we do short devotions daily as we approach Christmas. However, I never wrote during November, so I'm going to step back a bit as I ponder on all the blessings that surround my life. First of all, I'm thankful to the Lord for saving me and calling me His own. This may seem like hogwash to someone who doesn't know Jesus personally, and I get that. But to anyone who has tasted and seen the goodness of our Lord, you can't help but be overwhelmed by His grace and mercy towards those He calls His own. I'm truly thankful, and wish I had adequate words to express how my heart rejoices in Him.
Next, I am thankful for my hard working, fun, handsome husband. Our journey in this life has taken us through beautiful sunshine filled mountains, and some difficult dark valleys, but we have trekked through together hand and hand. It has made our love richer and stronger. Out of that overflow of love for one another, the Lord has blessed us with 8 wonderful children, 2 children-in-loves through marriage, and 2 beautiful grands. The privilege of raising these children for the kingdom of God, and sharing their joys and pain, is an incredible thing. You never knew your heart could love so deep, or hurt so much. You rejoice with them over their joys and accomplishments, and your heart breaks for the things that they struggle with in this life. When they are little, you try to fix everything for them, but it's not too long in parenting that you discover that you can't. You can pray for them, encourage them, love them, then you must watch them fly, flounder, fall, and prayerfully rebound. It's a beautiful thing to realize that the Lord, who is the perfect parent, does the same for us. However, He is far more patient, and does nothing in fear of His reputation as we are tempted to do or wring His hands in worry.
I'm also thankful for my family (Moms, Dads, sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, etc) and friends who fill my life from end to end. Family and friends who I can go without seeing or speaking to for literally months or years, and we are as comfortable as if we only spoke yesterday. Ahhhh, the sweetness of friendships. I'm thankful for women who fill my life from my various Classical Conversation groups, Potter's Hand group, Kiokee Baptist Church, my sweet K-Group ladies, Grace Fellowship, old neighbors, classmates, coworkers, and more. I'm rich in people whose steps I've walked beside, enriching my life in so many ways as our paths have crossed throughout the seasons.
Choosing to live thankfully may be difficult at first. I'm a half glass full (and overflowing) kind of girl, so honestly it's not too big a struggle for me. But, I can tell you if you can habitually put it into practice it can change your life. It's hard to be thankful, and gripe in the same breath. So when you are tempted to complain, look at life or a situation with a half glass empty attitude, find something to be thankful for. It works!
I'll end this post with a poem I found along the way. May we all choose to live our lives full of thanksgiving.
A Thanksgiving
For summer rains, and winter’s sun,
For autumn breezes crisp and sweet;
For labors doing, to be done,
And labors all complete;
For April, May, and lovely June,
For bud, and bird, and berried vine;
For joys of morning, night, and noon,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!
For autumn breezes crisp and sweet;
For labors doing, to be done,
And labors all complete;
For April, May, and lovely June,
For bud, and bird, and berried vine;
For joys of morning, night, and noon,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!
For loving friends on every side;
For children full of joyous glee;
For all the blessed Heavens wide,
And for the sounding sea;
For mountains, valleys, forests deep;
For maple, oak, and lofty pine;
For rivers on their seaward sweep,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!
For children full of joyous glee;
For all the blessed Heavens wide,
And for the sounding sea;
For mountains, valleys, forests deep;
For maple, oak, and lofty pine;
For rivers on their seaward sweep,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!
For light and air, for sun and shade,
For merry laughter and for cheer;
For music and the glad parade
Of blessings through the year;
For all the fruitful earth’s increase,
For home and life, and love divine,
For hope, and faith, and perfect peace,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!
For merry laughter and for cheer;
For music and the glad parade
Of blessings through the year;
For all the fruitful earth’s increase,
For home and life, and love divine,
For hope, and faith, and perfect peace,
My thanks, dear Lord, are Thine!
~~John Kendrick Bangs
