Thankful Thursday and Every Day

Honestly I let last Thursday get away from me and I failed to post my Thankful Thursday. Jason asked me about it late Thursday night or maybe Friday afternoon. My only comment to him was that I had been too busy living my Thankful Thursday to blog about it. Really, my girls and I have been so incredibly enjoying every minute of life lately. God has overwhelmed me with the beauty of His creation, with the joy of friendship, and with the simple pleasure of living life with my husband and children that I have been busy with life--not in a bad way, just busy. And, can I say this?? I'm absolutely LOVING it!!!!

As I've thought about Thankful Thursday, the video clip I included above really sums up what I want to get my mind around. I so long to get to a place where I can praise God in the good times and in the bad. I want to begin to trust Him at a level where I realize that what I see as bad is really not bad at all, it's Him working ALL things for my good, and while it may seem bad at the time, it's only His intervention, His provision, His protection in my life. I want to realize that often the reason He doesn't work in my time, giving me what I ask for, in the way I ask for it, is quite simply because I don't know what's good for me. He is GOD. He is sovereign. He is ALWAYS RIGHT!!! He is ALWAYS ON TIME!!! His NO is not about rejection or failure. It is to allow me to get to something better or to protect me from something awful. His discipline is because He loves me and wants something better for me, and if I must suffer here on this earth it is only for a little while and it is not without results. Oh, if only I could learn to truly see the depth and width and height of His blessings in my life.



Today my list may be a little longer since I was too busy living Thankful Thursday to write about it last week, so I hope you'll bear with me. Blessings, my friend. Oh, how I pray that we can all breathe in the wonderful work God longs to do in our life--whether it be through the sunshine or through the raindrops, through the healing or through the pain. He is faithful for He will not be otherwise!

25. Friday lunches with friends. Authentic conversation allowing you to be yourself, share your hurts, your shortcomings, your struggles, . . . Knowing they will not judge you but will bear your burdens.

26. Hearing my two daughters pretend to lead worship, inviting "the congregation to respond during the invitation", praising God for those present in worship, inviting the children present to come up and help. Wow!!! What this does to a mother's heart.

27. We were at a fashion show birthday party a week or so ago. All of the girls had to share a tidbit of information about themselves for the "red carpet moment". My daughter and one of her best friends both shared that the dream job would be a missionary. Thank you, God, for planting in their hearts a love for you and a desire to share you with others!

28. Brother Garry and Mrs. Cheryl Irvin who are relentless about loving children and passionate about sharing the gospel with them. My #27 is largely impart to Mrs. Cheryl's commitment to sharing the world of missions with the children on Wednesday night. Since first grade when Carrington fell in love with missionaries, she has believed that one day God may want her to go to the mission field.

29. The smell of fresh cut grass, even if it does make me sneeze my head off, because this means spring is here and the days are long and we have lots of time to play outside!!!!

30. A fresh Word from God whether that be from a sermon, devotional time, a book I'm reading, a conversation with a friend, prayer time. . . I love that God is faithful to speak to me again and again and again--daily, moment by moment.

31. A husband who protects and provides for our family and leads us by example.

32. A two-hour phone conversation with one of my dearest friends from college. We have only seen each other probably two or three times since we graduated college in 1997, but she is one of my dearest friends and my strongest spiritual accountability partners. I can call her and know that she will speak truth into my situation. I am so thankful God gives us people with whom we have a true heart connection and that time or distance can not separate.

33. Closed doors and a word from God that helped me understand that closed doors are not always signs of failure or rejection. Sometimes closed doors are simply provision and protection. Thank you God!!!

34. A reminder from God this week of how He is a God of second-chances (the life of Jonah). A challenge from God that because He gives others second-chances we as His people should too. We should constantly be an extension of His grace and mercy not judgment and condemnation. That's the kind of person I want to be!!!

35. My parents. So very thankful for the heritage I have!

36. Homeschooling--our life has simplified by leaps and bounds. I have learned to enjoy simplicity and to be less rushed and to understand how to keep the things that matter, the things that matter. Thankful for a few friends that God has put in my life to teach me to stop and smell the roses.

37. Seeing one of my former first grade students who is now a high schooler play the drums in worship. That's amazing!!!! He does such a great job. So neat to see God help teens find their place of ministry in the church.