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Thursday, November 15, 2007

Thankful

I am most thankful that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is FOREVER faithful. He has taken situations filled with turmoil and confusion and turned them into blessings and hope. Some of the blessings were “in disguise”, but revealed themselves as blessings nonetheless.

In this season of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to take time to reflect on the blessings in your life. Even in the midst of pain, God is working in your life. Seek Him and look for His masterful hands working it all for good. If it’s not visible, trust Him. He loves you enough to die for you…

In addition to God’s saving grace, I am thankful this year that:

  • My husband is a good man; one I adore and respect. In spite of our challenges, our “ups and downs”, and our often completely different points of view, I consider myself a blessed woman to have him. I thank God for him.
  • My “wayward” son is home and safe…and my relationship with him is better than it has been for a long, long time. I do believe he knows how much I love him, and I pray that ultimately leads him to embracing the Lord’s love for him. He is beautiful, he has a good heart -- albeit easily distracted from goodness, and I believe in my heart he will do great things someday.
  • My youngest son is smart, funny, has a strong sense of right and wrong, and oh how I know he loves his parents. I pray he knows how much he is loved in return. What a wonderful boy…a bit temperamental (as I suppose all teenagers are), but such a joy. He makes me laugh daily.
  • My sister-in-law, her three boys, and my mother-in-law are all coming to visit for Christmas. We are so looking forward to having them here. We know that there will chaotic moments, but we are so blessed to have such a loving (and fun-loving) extended family.
  • I have parents who love me and who are interested in my life and that of my family, in spite of having their hands full with a “new” family of their three adopted great-grandchildren. My parents are the model of selflessness and living for others.
  • The Lord has blessed us financially, giving us the ability to respond to many unexpected expenses this year. I am in awe of His generosity, and I am also thankful that I know from Whom all blessings flow…
  • I work for and with other Christians, in a business where one might not expect to find many (if any) Christians. My immediate boss is a Christian, at least three of my counterparts are Christians, two of my direct reports are Christians, and one of my direct reports has just started to come to church with me. I am surrounded by people who I care about, who care about me and who care about others.
  • When I feel alone, afraid or disappointed, the Lord so often sends just the right song on the radio, a perfectly timed blog entry from a blogging friend, an email of encouragement, or even His tiny whisper through His Word or through an inward thought. He is ever present, and even when I don’t see Him or don’t sense Him for a moment, He is there. He is my friend, closer than a brother.

I primarily read the NIV of the Bible, but from time to time, I look at other translations to see if I can gain a different perspective. Psalm 34:1-8 is perfect praise, particularly at Thanksgiving, and I thought The Message version was especially relevant and beautiful for all circumstances this time of year…
“I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. I live and breathe God; if things aren't going well, hear this and be happy: Join me in spreading the news; together let's get the word out. God met me more than halfway, He freed me from my anxious fears. Look at Him; give Him your warmest smile. Never hide your feelings from Him. When I was desperate, I called out, and God got me out of a tight spot. God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray. Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see – how good God is. Blessed are you who run to Him.”

Blessings dear friends. May you have a season filled with all manner of things to be thankful for.

6 comments:

Erin Szczerba said...

Michelle,
A great list, indeed. I, too, have much to be thankful for!

Thank you for your notes. I was so excited to see that you'd like me to speak in January at the Mom's Day of Prayer. God has given me a desire to share my story with others and I've just been waiting for Him to start opening the doors. So yes, I'd be honored.

Also, I actually clean a house in Lafayette and one in Arvada, so I would be happy to come by and discuss your needs and my services with you. I am not the cheapest but I'm not the most expensive either. That said, my goal with each client is to create a customized cleaning plan that gives each client the kind of clean they really want. I'm booked all next week, but I can also come up on a weekend if that works better with your schedule.
My # is 720-233-8001 and my email is eszczerba@hotmail.com.

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend. Thanks for your faithful prayers. Erin

Linds said...

Hi Michelle.... I agree, what a wonderful list. In fact, I have been thinking about the ubiquitous Christmas letter I have to write and I think I am just going to list all the things I am thankful for.

I think Thanksgiving is a wonderful tradition. I wish it was a univeral holiday. In every country there is something great to be thankful for, and most especially it has to be because we know we are loved most dearly by a God, who is our Father.

Ave a wonnderfully Happy Thanksgiving!

Susan said...

Wonderful thankful things.
Susan

Pen of Jen said...

Well I loved the comment you left. I too love all the blogs and the list of things that we are thankful for.

Even in a Fallen world we see the Light in our fellow Christians and the world that we see the Creator!

Praise God for your list.

I pray that your Thanksgiving was wonderful.
Jennifer
penofjen

Sharon Lynne said...

Yes..."Blessed are we who run to him" referring to the end of your post.

I met an atheist at work this week. I liked him. We had a deep talk for about an hour. But how sad for him--to feel--that he is all alone in life.

I'm thankful that God is at the helm of our lives.

I enjoyed your post. That is good news about your son.

Christy said...

I love this post. You are very blessed :)