300 Thankfuls!

I pray that this Monday finds you Thankful.  It may be dreary outside.  You may have been dealt a blow today--a diagnosis, a decision that was beyond your control, a debt that you don't know how you'll pay.  I'd like to remind you that in the midst of all of that there is a God who loves you. 

He doesn't love you because you've been good enough, because you've done enough, or because you'll ever measure up.  He simply loves you!  He loved you so much that He chose to send His one and only son to be the perfect sacrifice for your inability to measure up, for your shortcomings, for your trying to do enough and falling short, for your sin.  He loved you when you were unlovable, when you would look upon His love and walk away, still He loved you.  Still, he loves you.  He knows you by name.  He has a plan for your life.  If you have not accepted the gift of His son, Jesus, as the sacrifice for your sin, He waits longingly for you to do just that.  He sees your striving, your suffering, and your pain and longs to enter in to all of that with you and to bear your load.  If you are His child and you are in the middle of pain today, I just want to remind you all of our suffering is just for a little while.  We serve a great God.  Nothing you are dealing with today takes Him by surprise.  I encourage you--LOOK UP!!!  He wants to carry your load.  He wants you to know that He wants to be a part of EVERY DETAIL of your life. 

ABOVE ALL ELSE, find a reason or two to be thankful and it just might make everything else seem more bearable.  Love you, friend!

283.  I am thankful for vacation with friends. I am thankful for moments spent laughing and playing, relaxing and sipping on coffee, playing putt putt and eating fresh seafood, watching dolphins from the balcony and enjoying family movie night. . .  I am thankful for memories made that will be cherished for years to come.  I am thankful for those times years down the road when we will tell stories about this vacation and laugh and maybe even shed a happy tear over the joy we were able to share together because God in His infinite wisdom and in His gracious sovereignty knows we need each other and He blesses our life with friends to share this wonderful journey called life. 

284.  I am thankful for car rides when fun conversations happen, when read alouds take place, when deep stuff transpires, and when family life unfolds in unique God moments like no where else.  :)

285.  I am thankful for the unfolding God story in all of our lives.  I am thankful to have a bird's eye view into what God is doing in the hearts and minds of my daughters' lives as I interact with them daily.  I am thankful that just as He is teaching me, He is teaching them what it really means to live "on mission."  Oh, how I want to learn this.  I want to know what it really means to be His hands and His feet.  I am thankful for the moments in each day that He is giving us to really understand this better.

286.  I am thankful for coffee.

287.  I am thankful for a warm house and pumpkin spice candles and candy corn and mums and so many other signs of harvest time.

288.  I am thankful for the experience of seeing my oldest daughter being fitted for her first pointe shoes--a dream come true for her.  She has longed to do this since she first realized it was a possibility some four or five years ago.  I can hardly believe it's even possible that she's old enough to stand on pointe shoes but she's a beautiful and graceful ballerina and before I know it she'll be twirling her way across the stage with ease.  I'm thankful for the gift in her.  I am thankful for Mrs. Ashley and Mrs. Carole and the love for dance that they've nurtured. 

289.  I am thankful for a reminder this week that discipline comes from the Lord because of His great love for us.  Even the tough stuff is sent to us to grow us to help us reach our full potential in Him.  Waiting on His timing, His provision, His purpose to be fulfilled is not always easy but we can know that in His time deliverance is ours.  I am so thankful that I don't have to figure at all the details; I just have to wait on Him.  I have to be obedient in the waiting.

290.  I am thankful that I serve a God who makes the IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE!

291.  I am thankful that I have a husband whose desire it is to seek God for MORE and not be satisfied with status quo.  I am thankful that as we journey with Christ we are unified in our desire to ask God to BELIEVE HIM for what we don't even know to ask, think, or imagine.  I am thankful that Jason's heart is to serve our family well, to lead us with integrity, to go where God wants to lead us, to be weird according to the standards of the world if that's what it takes to go with God. 

292.  I am thankful that no matter what I know of God today there's more to know tomorrow because His ways are not my ways.  He wants me to discover Him, to seek Him, to pursue Him. 

293.  I am thankful for life.

294.  I am thankful for family.

295.  I am thankful for all of God's provisions.

296.  I am thankful for Monday night outreach.

297.  I am thankful for His WORD, it is bread, it is LIFE, it is water for the thirsty, it is salve for the wounded, it is breath for the dying. . .  It is the ANSWER to all of life's questions.  It is the greatest story ever recorded.  It is our story. 

298.  I am thankful for moments of quiet, when I can hear God's voice, and reflect on His Word.

299.  I am thankful for indoor plumbing and a washing machine and dryer.  (This may seem ridiculous.  But it has been occurring to me lately just what a big deal these things are.  WHAT IF?!?!  WHEW!   I'm so thankful I have these conveniences.)

300.  I am thankful for those moments when you see little things that have become big things being checked off your to-do list.  This is a big deal for a TYPE-A personality.  God knows how we're wired, and somehow He seems to allow me just the amount of time I need at just the right moment to accomplish what I need to accomplish so that I don't erupt with frustration.  Thank you, GOD!!! 

GRACE, GRACE--GOD'S GRACE!

I've spent a lot of time thinking lately about what it means to say thank you.  How many times will I utter those words through the course of my life?  Someone extends a generosity to me, a favor, a service, a simple act of kindness, and I in return offer a thank you. As I am learning to live life reflectively I am realizing that it is filled to the brim with benefits, generosities, favors, kindnesses, in short GRACE.  I realize that God has acted again and again on my behalf with His unmerited favor.  Of course He did this through the cross for my salvation and sanctification, but what I'm realizing more and more is that He didn't just do it for me to experience it for salvation from hell but for me to experience LIFE ABUNDANTLY today and tomorrow and until my last day here on earth.  He wants me to know Him in personal intimate relationship.  He wants me to see life through new eyes, through eyes of GRACE and MERCY.  He wants me to believe that He is. . .  He wants me to know that rainbows and bellowing ocean waves and the quiet song of a redbird and the delightful giggle of my daughters and the tight reassuring hug of my daddy and the text of a friend saying "I'm praying for you" and watching dolphins play from the balcony and my heart breaking for a little girl who I pick up on the church bus. . . those are all GRACE.  These are all God with me. . .  He sees.  He is in my everyday moments.  He is not a God who just shows up when I'm in need or in distress.  He isn't a God who only makes house calls because things are looking out of sorts.  He is in every moment of every day.  He is generous.  He shows favor.  He is kind and loving and ever present.  How do I say thanks?  I say thanks by simply acknowledging His GRACE, by realizing that every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17).  I give thanks by giving my life to God because of all he has done for me (Romans 12:1-2).  I give thanks by speaking it, by telling of His goodness.

273.  I am thankful for trips on the church van each week.  God is teaching me so much about what it means to reach out, to love outside your immediate circle, to see what He sees and to let Him stretch me beyond what I am currently doing or seeing or being willing to speak or do or go. 

274.  I am thankful for the body of believers.  I am thankful for all the ways God gifts His children and how He manifests Himself in each person uniquely.  I am thankful that He has entrusted His work to the Church and I am thankful to be on the Kingdom Calendar for such a time as this.

275.  I am thankful for Worship.  I am thankful for each time I get to gather with fellow believers in corporate worship and for moments of private worship.  I am thankful for moments with hands lifted high and for moments where the only appropriate response is face down to the ground. 

276.  I am thankful for roaring waves, dolphins playing, stingrays jumping, girls and daddies giggling and playing...  I am thankful for the majesty of the beach and the reminder of just HOW BIG GOD IS and to think that He knows me by name.

277.  I am thankful for laughter.  Truly it is medicine for your soul.

278.  I am thankful for moments to watch my little girl play soccer, to see her run and play and be reminded of what a blessing it is for her to be healthy and strong.

279.  I am thankful for times when my girls want to be generous.  This is such a lesson that we learn in life.  It's not our natural inclination to give rather than take, to serve rather than be served, to reach out rather than to sit back and expect others to come to us.  I'm so thankful when my girls lead the way in this.  I beg God to help me.  More of Him, less of me.

280.  I am thankful for moments when my girls and their friends dance and sing.  My prayer is that they will always dance like no one's looking, that the joy of the Lord will so fill their hearts and minds that they can't help but dance!!!

281.  I am thankful for simple reminders from God, some of those come from a fresh Word, some of those come from a sweet text or word from a friend, some of those are from a praise song, some of those are from a Word studied years ago.  God is FAITHFUL and He will ALWAYS be what I need TODAY, TOMORROW, and FOREVER. 

282.  Several years ago I was blessed to lead a women's Bible study written by Beth Moore.  In it she taught a five- principle pledge that I would like to leave you with today.  I am thankful for these truths.  They are my sustaining hope many days.  I am so thankful that:
     -GOD IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS.
     -GOD CAN DO WHAT HE SAYS HE CAN DO.
     -I AM WHO HE SAYS I AM.
     -I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH.
     -GOD'S WORD IS ALIVE AND ACTIVE IN ME.

Forget THURSDAYS!!!!!

Okay so here's the deal. . .  I started this journey to 1000 with great intentions.  I would blog on Thursdays with my list of why I was thankful until I reached 1000.  WHY THURSDAY?  Well because typically that's how my holistic thinking self works.  I think in acrostics, acronyms, catchy titles, phrases, etc.  So, I thought of THANKFUL THURSDAY.  I also thought that blogging on the same day each week would keep me accountable and would maybe, just maybe work for the few (1 or 2 people) who would actually maybe read it each week and join in with me.  BUT, FLOP!!!  That worked for a while, but honestly it just isn't working for me.  I find myself thinking on Sunday afternoon or maybe on Wednesday evening or sometimes on Friday afternoon, I'd like to write my thankful post, and then my highly prohibitive, follow the rules personality says, but it's not Thursday, how much sense does that make?  So I don't do it.  And then, on Thursday I don't do it either because something comes up or maybe I have writers' block or . . .  (you fill in the blanks you know how life goes).  Some of you out there are saying "Just write the blog and put it in for a delayed post for the next Thursday.  What's  the big deal?"  Well see that's a big deal for me.  Because I want to write it and post it because maybe, just maybe by the next Thursday, they'll be something more pressing or more timely I'd like to say. 

So, enough with the rambling, here's the deal FORGET THURSDAYS!!!!!!  I don't mean forget the journey to 1000.  NO WAY!!!  This has been one of the most rewarding disciplines of my life.  I just mean forget the day of the week or the idea to post only once a week.  From now on, I'll be posting as I feel like God has given me a word to write, as my list of thanks has grown and I feel like I'm ready to share.  It will simply be 1000 THANKS!!!!  I hope you'll understand.  I just need a little bit more freedom on this journey.  I think it will fit me much better at this point in my life, at this season on my journey.  So, here we go. . . and it's Friday!!!

263.  I'm thankful for my dad.  He celebrated his 59th birthday on the 6th of September.  What a joy that is for him and for us!!!  The last 19 years have been an eventful journey for him since his first bypass surgery at 40 years old, but I'm SO PROUD OF MY DADDY!!!  He lives each day to the fullest.  He enjoys his family and friends.  He loves God and he is determined to live this life he's been given as a gift of thanks to His creator and redeemer.  I am thankful for every day I have with him.  I'm thankful for every lesson he's taught me.  Sometimes he's pushed me, sometimes he's carried me, but he's always been right there with me.  I'm thankful for him more everyday.  

264.  I'm thankful for my mom.  She also just celebrated another birthday--her 58th on the 28th of August.  My parents are young ones, aren't they?!?!  I'm thankful for the example she has lived before us when we were young and as we've grown older.  She loves with her actions and with her time.  That is a treasure.  I'm thankful that she was faithful to the task of raising up her children in the way they should go.  That wasn't always an easy task (I'm sure), but she stayed the course.  I'm thankful for her faithfulness and her determination.  She is a gift to us!

265.  I am thankful for my firstborn.  I love her more everyday.  I love what God is teaching me about letting her become exactly who He has created her to be.  I am thankful for how she really gets so many "deep things" of life.  She amazes me sometimes with how she accepts with simple faith what I make so complex. 

266.  I am thankful for time spent with my nephew.  I love, love, love when he says, "Whatcha doin' Jenn?", "Where ya' goin' Jenn?", "I love you Jenn."  Hardly anybody calls me Jenn, but he does, and it melts my heart.  I am thankful for that little blue eyed boy.  I am thankful for how I see his personality evolving and changing.  I am thankful for every time I get to hear him pray.  I am thankful for his mom and dad and what they are teaching him.  I pray that he will always know just how much God loves him and what an amazing plan God has for his life.

267.  I am thankful for the One-Year Bible on my iPhone and moments that I get to just sit and soak in the Word of God.  I am thankful for simple stories heard again and again and how the truths of God's Word absolutely will transform your heart and mind. 

268.  I am thankful for excitement and hope.  Do you know the kind of excitement I'm talking about?  The kind you felt when you were a little girl waiting on a birthday party to arrive or Christmas to come or for someone to come visit.  That's the kind of excitement I have in my heart right now, but it's not because I'm waiting on my next vacation or for the next family celebration or for the next holiday; it's because in my heart I just know God is going to work in my life in a bigger way tomorrow than He did today to show me more of Himself, to teach me how to love deeper and to live bigger, to have a stronger faith and to believe Him for what I can't even ask, think, or even imagine. 

269. I am thankful for my 6 year old ball of energy.  I am thankful for every piece of artwork she creates for me and for everyone else around her.  I am thankful for every glimpse of the creator that I catch as I see the creative juices that flow through her mind and body.  I am thankful that I can already see the gifts and talents He gave her at work and know that this is only the beginning of the story.  Being her mom is a gift from the hand of God. 

270.  I am thankful that God gives peace in our physical conditions.  I am thankful for a report this week of "no reason to believe that it's cancer."  I have a 6mm nodule on my thyroid.   It's causing discomfort and symptoms, but the endocrinologist says no cancer!!!!  Thankful to God, my great physician for this, but also for the peace that I have had in knowing that no matter what BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!!!

271.  I am thankful for the many different ways that God shows Himself faithful to us.  He is our healer, our provider, our redeemer, our comforter, our counselor, our advocate, our rock, our refuge, our strength.  He is!!!  I am thankful that there is not a single circumstance that happens throughout my day that God is not ENOUGH!!!!

272.  I am thankful for freedom.  September 11, 2001 was a horrifying day in our nation.  We have not been the same.  Lives were lost that day and are continuing to be lost still in the fight against terrorism.  I am thankful for men and women who stand in the line of duty everyday defending our freedom and fighting for those who have none.  I am thankful for the ultimate freedom that only comes in the person of Jesus Christ through His death and resurrection.  I am thankful for the life that He gives that sets us free indeed!!!! 

Continuing to thank Him, all the way to 1000!!!!

10,000 Reasons

I'd like to start my post this week with a video clip from our favorite praise song these days.  Our family finds ourselves singing this song daily.  It comforts us, challenges us, and reminds us that truly we have more reasons to praise than we can begin to list.  We could begin writing today and never stop until the day we draw our last breath and the list would not be complete.  And yet the harsh reality is that there are some days that life gets us so busy, the days are tough, and the hurt is deep.  The enemy robs us of the joy of singing praise to our Savior, of focusing on who we are in Christ as His children.  We miss those sacred moments of grace where even the simplest of blessings are a reminder of the hand of God reaching down to earth to intervene on our behalf.  This song has been a fresh reminder to me that as I journey through my day I will face troubles of many kinds (James 1:2).  However, it is the perfect opportunity for great joy.  My prayer has become that at the end of the day I would still be singing a song of praise to my God.  When the day comes when I draw my last breath, I pray that I will still be singing and recounting the 10,000+ reasons I have to worship His name. 

So here are a few more of the reasons, I have to say thanks.

255. I am thankful for my cousin Andrea.  I am thankful for how her faith encourages me and challenges me.  I am thankful for her transparency and authenticity.  I am thankful for how she is walking this journey of loss and grief with such determination to be used by God and for Him to be seen and to be glorified.  I am thankful for her love for God and for her rock solid faith that will not for a moment move over for the enemy.

256.  I am thankful for dinner with friends who will encourage your hearts and remind you that God is not finished with you yet.  I am thankful for those who speak truth into your lives and remind you that God has a plan for your life that is beyond what we can ask, think, or even imagine.  I am thankful for friends that are funnier than anybody should be allowed to be.  It is just too easy for some people to be funny.  They're so enjoyable to be around and I'm thankful that God blesses our life with their presence.  I am thankful for the gift that those people have of knowing how to connect with your heart.

257.  I am thankful for pulled teeth and pierced ears and first soccer games of the season and learning to dive . . .  Fun things of childhood.

258.  I am thankful for friends who engage in deep, meaningful conversation, who connect with your heart about the things that really matter to you. I am thankful that God knows exactly who we need at what point on the journey of life.  Some friends are there for a season for a reason and I am so thankful for God's provision in that way.

259.  I am thankful for what God is teaching me daily from His Word.  I am thankful that He opens up His Word in new and relevant ways.

260.  I am thankful for Matt and Julie and their story of Africa.  I am thankful for their passion and their obedience.  I am thankful for their willingness to go and serve and for what hearing their story does in my heart.

261.  I am thankful for God's provision.  He knows our needs and provides for every one of them.  He cares about the concerns of our hearts.  He loves His children. 

262.  I am thankful for the wonderful relationship that my girls have with their grandparents.  Some of my fondest memories of childhood are with my Granny and Papa.  I wouldn't trade those days for anything.  I'm thankful that my girls are making some wonderful memories too.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!!!!  I Worship Your Holy Name!!!!

Thankful Thursday

It's Thursday and I'm so very thankful . . .

241.  I am thankful for the lessons that are only learned in the wilderness.  Jason and I had this conversation the other night.  We were talking about how the last 10 months or so of our life have felt something like wandering through unknown territory, something like trying to make sense out of being in a place you've never been before, something like trying to find your way to the place you should be when you realize you traveled off course or missed the mark.  A spiritual mentor heard our cries and listened to the deepest groanings of our heart and spoke words that resonated with our exact place.  He reckoned it to the wanderings of the Israelites in their wilderness days.  He reminded us that those days don't last forever, but that God has a work to do there too.  I'm thankful for that.  I'm thankful that even though we sometimes don't like it there I can see that God is doing a work in our minds, in our hearts, and in our spirit.  Jason and I were reminded by God that the story of the Red Sea and of the Jordan and of the manna from Heaven all came because of a people wandering through a wilderness and looking to their faithful God even when they were on a roller-coaster ride of obedience.  I'm thankful that many of the stories that were passed from one generation to the next came from the wilderness, from a people who learned to be dependent on their God, to obey His voice, and to bow to no other but Him, even if it was a lesson sometimes learned the hard way.

241.  I am thankful to hear my little girl learn to read.  It is simple joy.

242.  I am thankful when my big girl is eager to read.

243.  I am thankful for squeals and laughter heard everyday around my house.

244.  I am thankful for what God is teaching me in the waiting.  I am thankful that He is working on my behalf and that in His time all things will work together for good.

245.  I am thankful for a clean house--it's sometimes the little things that feel like an elephant has finally removed itself from your chest.

246.  I am thankful for prayer.  I am thankful that it doesn't have to be eloquent, lengthy, or loud.  I am thankful that it can be just the mention of His name, the cry of our heart;  it can be silence;  it can be tears.  It is our heart crying to the heart of our Father.  

247.  I am thankful that God treats us all as individuals.  He has a unique plan and purpose for all of us.  He knows us all intimately and call us all individually.  He is not playing a game of comparisons.  He loves us all as the apple of His eye.

248.  I am thankful for home-grown vegetables.

249.  I am thankful for family reunions.

250.  I am thankful for fun afternoons with my hubby, even when they're spent working on our "to-do list".  He is great company.  He makes life fun and bearable.  He is the one who knows what I am thinking without me having to say a word.  He is quirky and entertaining and makes even mundane tasks enjoyable.  He appreciates what is important to me and offers to help me with the chores that seem like they'll never end.

251.  I am thankful for another birthday.  I am thankful for birthday wishes from lots of family and friends that remind me of just how blessed I am with relationships.  I am thankful for moments to celebrate!

252.  I am thankful for leisurely Sunday lunches around the dining room table with family catching up on what's been going on in our lives.

253.  I am thankful for Grandpa and 70 years of life for him.  I am thankful to share this journey with him.

254.  I am thankful for grace.  At every moment it is pursuing me, it is upholding me, and it is often restraining me.  I am thankful for AMAZING GRACE!!!!

36 years 364 days

Life is full of interruptions.  Lately, I've felt my days have been chaotic, harried, full of things I can't control.  For my type-A, organized, live by a plan self, this has been a little overwhelming.  I've been wondering what I'm suppose to be learning in all of this because I've come to realize that God doesn't bring things into my life without a reason, without intention, without a cause.  He ALWAYS has a plan and a purpose for the seasons in my life.  Sometimes those seasons are short-lived and sometimes they seem like they'll never end.  Sometimes I immediately sense what it is He's trying to do in me or through me or what it is He's trying to get out of me or develop in me.  Sometimes, however, I'm not that easy of a student.  Sometimes it takes me a little time. 

On this occasion, I think I'm discovering some of the lessons He's trying to teach.  On the other hand, I'm not quite sure that there aren't some things I still need to let Him show me.  I am desperate for Him to teach me.  I'm desperate to learn.  I want to let go.  I want to be teachable.  I want to receive the work He's desiring to do in me, and yet so many times I'm so wrapped up in my predetermined plans, in my formulated goals and dreams, in my schedule and in my agenda that I simply miss it.  I get so wrapped up in the interruptions that I miss the opportunities.  I want to ENJOY the Journey.  I want to see the opportunities not just the interruptions.  I want to learn the lessons.  I want to be a true disciple, a Christ follower, changed daily from the inside out.  I want to understand what it means to embrace the moments of this life and to see the fullness of each one.  I want to live a life of thanksgiving to the One who makes it all worthwhile. 

Tomorrow I'll be 37 years old.  As I turn thirty-seven, I think of how some things have turned out exactly how I dreamed and others have taken a much different path.  While there have been seasons of absolute peace and clarity, there have also been times I've found myself far from the place I would have imagined or hoped for.  I feel at times much like the Israelites in their wilderness wanderings.  I find myself still clinging to the hope that in God's time I will see the Promised Land.  I know that there has not been one season of this journey wasted, one moment of hurt or pain or victory or healing that God is not using to write His story of my life.  I'm so glad that I can trust Him to make sense of it all.  So on the eve of my 37th birthday, I choose to give thanks for so much that is a part of my story today that may or may not be a part of my story in a year or in two years.  I understand though that these things are a part of my becoming who He desires for me to be.  I choose to give thanks for even the tough stuff, the stuff that often leaves a lump in my throat, a knot in my stomach, that causes me to cling to Him like never before, that sends me first thing in the morning to His feet in utter dependence, that is the air I breathe and the only reason I look to the future with hope. 

219.  I am thankful for God's reminder that there is hope on the other side of whatever struggle I face today.

220.  I am thankful that life's sweetest moments are not about things but about relationships.

221.  I am thankful for prayer that sustains me moment by moment throughout my days.

221.  I am thankful for the squeals and laughter of my daughters as they play together in the pool.

222.  I am thankful for new birth.  My sweet friends are welcoming new babies to their families and what a blessing!!!  

223.  I am thankful that God is speaking order into the chaos of our daily home school schedule.  He's helping me figure out how to meet each of my girl's needs by providing them each with ample one on one time.  So very, very thankful for this.  

224.  I am thankful for forward progress in the van ministry at church.

225.  I am thankful for Marvelous Mondays.

226.  I am thankful for my husband who always seems to speak a word that reminds me that every thing's going to be okay.  He has a way of refocusing me on who we are as a family, of the God we serve, and of what we've committed ourselves to in Him. 

227.  I am thankful for a husband who works hard at his employer and in our home.  He serves us well and loves us with the love of Christ.  

228.  I am thankful that even the worst days only last for a while.

229.  I am thankful that my husband and I are each other's strongest advocates and biggest supporters in our walk with Christ.  I am thankful for the conversations we have about our faith journeys and about what God is teaching us and how we want to pursue Christ more.

230.  I am thankful for weekend fun with my hubby and girls. 

231.  I am thankful for times to work together with the family; marking things off our to-do list is always fun. 

232.  I am thankful for the opportunity to do ministry together.

233.  I am thankful for Anna Claire's funny faces and hilarious sayings.

234.  I am thankful for Carrington's wise beyond her years perspective on life.

235.  I am thankful for days when both girls will say, "I want to go on a mission trip with my family."  That is music to my ears.

236.  I am thankful for moments when they erupt in praise music and sing and sing and sing.

237.  I am thankful for times when Carrington will say, "I love you Mom" for no reason, just because.

238.  I am thankful for the Word of God, it is what sustains me.  It is oxygen to me.  It is what answers ALL of life's questions and convinces me that I can go on. 

239.  I am thankful that there is NOTHING that is impossible with GOD.  I am thankful that on days when I am struggling to believe this someone else isn't and they speak a Word to me that encourages me to move forward. 

240.  I am thankful that God is not finished with me yet, that He who began a good work in me will complete it (Philippians 1:6). 

Trusting God to be ENOUGH

Well this is one of those weeks when my "Thankful Thursday" post has turned into a Thankful Friday post.  We've been without TV, internet, and phone since Tuesday so being able to post has been an impossibility until today.  It has been a nice thing to have no TV, no internet, and no phone for a few days.  I have to say we haven't missed it much.  It's allowed us to spend our time in other ways, and that's been a good thing.  :) 

Recently, I have found myself fighting this little feeling that rises up in me at least once a day.  I'm not really sure what to attribute it to.  I'm not sure of it's cause, source, or contributing factors.  I will be feeling just fine and then all of a sudden I will feel anxious, cranky, uneasy, almost jittery.  So, I've just had to make a conscious decision to refocus, to cast all my cares upon Him, to choose my words wisely rather than to speak harshly or suddenly, and to find a few minutes of reprieve to relax, to choose to look to the ONLY ONE who has the ANSWER to ALL OF LIFE'S DILEMMAS!!!  I remind myself as Paul wrote to the Ephesisans (6:12) "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  I must be fully armed with Truth, with righteousness, with feet that are ready, with peace, with faith, with the Word of God, and with the assurance of my salvation.  And, I MUST STAND!!!  I must not falter.  I must STAND FIRM!!!Even when I feel like my legs are weak, my mind is foggy, my hands are shaky, and my stomach is queasy. . .  I must STAND!!!  I must know that I am in a battle and that I will not win it, UNLESS I allow Christ to prove Himself powerful in me. 

206.  Today I am thankful for a God who understands our deepest needs.  I am thankful that when I don't even understand my fears, my anxieties, or my needs, He already knows what is consuming me, what is best for me, and what will bring about His good in my life.

207.  I am thankful that I don't have to figure anything out.  I just have to trust that God's plans are at work as long as I stay fully committed to Him. 

208.  I am thankful for times when God sends someone to me to speak truth into my situation.  I am thankful that often they have no idea that they are being the mouth piece of God and yet they are speaking specifically to the deepest cry of my heart.

209.  I am thankful for deep conversations with my husband, for times when we discuss our spiritual journey and our commitment to serving Christ completely with our lives--wherever, however, and whatever that looks like.  I am thankful that our marriage is growing closer to the heart of God as we seek to know Him.

210.  I am thankful for a new year in school with my two daughters.  I am thankful for the days I get to sit across the table from them and learn together.  I am thankful for moments of sharing God's Word with them and learning together about God's amazing plan.

211.  I am thankful for Friday lunches with my friends.

212.  I am thankful for the completion of renovation projects around my house.

213.  I am thankful for a successful Back to School outreach and the opportunity to minister shoulder to shoulder with fellow Christ-followers.  I am thankful for a little girl named Isabella who now calls me "My Jennifer."  Two months ago we didn't even know each other; now I feel like she's an extension of my family.

214.  I am thankful that what God puts in place no man can destroy.

215.  I am thankful for my cousin's news of a baby girl and how we were able to smile even amidst the journey of grief knowing that Bradley's wishes were fulfilled.

216.  I am thankful for technology that brings great Biblical teaching into my home and into my heart via pod casts.

217.  I am thankful for the reminder that the "crazy stuff" in my life is all a part of God's working in me to work out for me what He desires to do with my life. 

218.  I am thankful that God's grace is simply ENOUGH!!!!