I think it is only appropriate to list things I'm thankful for from this year in this post. God has truly "generously given us all things." In no particular order.1. We got to move closer to family! God provided the house, the job, the scenery, and several churches to choose from! We also live in a safe, quiet neighborhood!
2. My Jonas is alive and well! What a journey that has been but we are all learning daily faith because of it! He had excellent medical care, and I also want to mention I am thankful for the invention of nebulizers!
I REALIZE EVERY SENTENCE HAS AN EXCLAMATION POINT FOLLOWING IT. How else can I express how excited I am about these blessings?! :-)
3. My precious Caedmon is healthy and well. His heart seems to be sensitive to the things of God and he has absorbed so much information about life this year!
4. My loving husband. God gave me a perfect-for-me life partner. We have grown even closer this year through moving across the country!
5. Godly parents on both sides of our family! They are encouraging, helpful, and great role models! We have loved seeing them more!
6. I am thankful for the ability to make memories. As I get older I realize how much I treasure each good memory. From childhood, early marriage, and parenthood!
7. I am thankful for the inexplicable Christian bond that exists between strangers who love Jesus. I have met people in Wausau who I instantly love, not just because I am called to, but because we both love the One who made us! As far as that goes, I have met people even online who have become very dear to me because of this. (SaraH!)
8. Hymns have become very special to me this year. I have found such beauty and peace in singing hymns I have always known but never scrutinzed the lyrics. To add to that, I do appreciate my keyboard!
9. I am thankful I live in a country and time when I am not being persecuted. I have unlimited religious freedom! May I be ever more bold with this gift.
10. Christian authors! A couple I have especially devoured this year are Philip Yancey, Francine Rivers, and whoever wrote Experiencing God. :-)
11. Financial freedom! What a priceless gift-no pun intended. I choose to be poor all my days if my needs are met! Sleep is sweet when you don't owe anybody a penny.
12. Christian music! Some bands I have been obsessed with this year who really spoke to my heart: Fee, Ten Shekel Shirt, Sara Groves.
13. Prayer! I have studied prayer and really practiced a lot more this year. Prayer was such a gift through our transitions, and Jonas' health scares. It is amazing to not just feel helpless, but to be able to contribute to a situation or person, and simultaneously be renewing my mind!
14. I am thankful for my simply darling niece Ruth and nephew John! I am one doting, blessed aunt.
15. I am thankful for American soldiers, who sacrifice their time, their youth, intimacy with their families, and sometimes much more, so that my husband and I do not have to fight, or be apart. I am thankful I don't have to be a single mom too!
16. Thankful that we also ARE soldiers of Jesus Christ. In this ongoing daily battle, we are already assured VICTORY! We are on the right side, we are on the team, we can have confidence! Christ has overcome the world!!!!!
17. Sex. [She just said sex on her blog!! Well, it's her blog, and she is thankful for it!]
18. I am thankful for humor. I can't deSCRIBE how thankful I am for humor! Jonas' lastest trick to get out of going to bed is a series of excuses he learned from Caed. They are pretty basic: "Bwankies! Lamby! Sing-Song! Dwink! Pway!" The latest had me giggling though, as I shut the door to his room he called out, "Potty!" No, Jonas, you are wearing a diaper and are NOT potty-trained. You simply cannot get out of going to bed for that one!
Caedmon cracks me up too on a daily basis. He often tells me all the things God made. Today he said, "God made movies!" I am assuming he was hoping maybe if he put God and movies in the same sentence, I would run to the TV and pop one in for him! Jason and I also can't help laughing when he says things wrong, completely innocently. He said he had to "shit the door." How do you correct that kind of thing without drawing attention to and teaching him the BAD word? :-)
19. Most of all, I am thankful I have access to a personal relationship with God! He becomes dearer to me every year, and the more I know Him, the less I can describe His greatness!
What are YOU thankful for?
Dear Bet w/ an H,
ReplyDeleteLove the great big gi-normous family photo...fun times!
I'm afraid I cannot list all of the things I am thankful for in answer to your question, but perhaps it is a rhetorical question, meant to spur all your readers to think through their Thanks-list.
I made the list! :) Thank you for the honorable mention, and more importantly, for the intangible, priceless gift of your friendship. We get to spend eternity together, living in close proximity I'm quite certain! Glad to call you "sister" because of our adoption into the family of God. You're right, it is inexplicable and a wonderfully glorious gift to us!
Okay, #17....Yeah, I pretty much laughed my butt off. Love how you speak in the 3rd person...nice touch.
God gives GOOD gifts, including grateful hearts that are filled with His joy.
Okay, this is a "serious-bajeerious" post. Better end before it turns into an epoch.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!