Thankful Thursday

 

 

Had an opportunity to visit my mom last weekend

 

While we were there, we helped with some projects around her home

 

I'm thankful for the skills God has allowed me to develop and the chance to use them to assist others

 

Three of my siblings live within an hour and a half of my mom

 

Thankful that I was able to see them and their families

 

Thankful for the way we all worked together to help out

 

Thankful for time to just enjoy being together and catch up

 

Had some good conversation with one of my nephews

 

He asked me about my eye and during our talk he questioned what I was learning through this experience

 

I told him it has been a reminder of my inadequacy.  When things roll along and all cylinders are firing, I have a tendency to think I'm in control.  That's part of the deception.

 

So thankful for God's reminders about who really holds the reins

 

Thankful for His patience with me when I'm slow to learn

 

Thankful God is redemptive and forgiving

 

Thankful He hears when I call out to Him and responds

 

I've been spending money on airfare lately, putting plans in place to be together with my kids around Christmas

 

Thankful I have that time to look forward to

 

Thankful for God's blessing in allowing me to be a father

 

Thankful for my wife, the mother of our children, and my cherished companion for almost 33 years.  She is the expression of God's favor in my life

 

Thankful for Jesus, His life, His sacrificial death, His resurrection

 

Thankful He came to seek and save the lost

Thankful Thursday

 

 

I fell asleep on my couch, but I can't let this evening end without expressing my gratitude

 

There are so many ways that I have seen God's hand over this past week, and experienced an outpouring of His grace and mercy

 

Last week I posted in the aftermath of what could have been viewed as a tragic event

 

And yet even in those moments I was able to see how God was orchestrating within the circumstances for my good

 

We had planned a full weekend of continued work getting my wife's parents' house ready to put on the market

 

But the doctor told me Friday morning I shouldn't do any lifting or strenuous work

 

I'm thankful Chris' cousin and her husband were in town for a few days and could pitch in to assist in moving stuff out of the house

 

Also thankful for my brother-in-law, Steve, who drove up from Virginia on Saturday to give us some much needed help

 

I'm grateful for the progress I've seen over the past week in the vision in my right eye; it's not back to what it had been before the accident, but it is getting pretty close

 

I'm thankful for the many who cried out to God on my behalf

 

Especially thankful that I serve a God who hears and responds to those prayers

 

God tells me that children are a blessing from Him; I experienced that blessing as I was able to connect with all four of our kids via Skype last weekend

 

There are times when I think modern technology might be a curse, but as I was able to talk to and see each of my kids who live so many miles away I expressed gratitude to God for the technology that allowed for that to happen

 

And I received a special blessing yesterday when I heard from my son, Adam, that he has some time off around Thanksgiving and will be able to come home for 6 days to spend that time with his mom and me

 

I'm thankful for airplanes that will help him get here and back!

 

I'm thankful for challenging conversations with other men this past week and for the way God uses those times to help point me in the direction I should go

 

I'm thankful for His patience with me

 

Thankful that even when I am faithless, He remains faithful because He cannot deny Himself

 

Thankful for His Spirit who indwells me and guides me

 

Thankful for God's word; grateful it is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.  I'm thankful for the time I can spend in His word each day, and I'm asking Him to speak to me through His word so that I might grow in my knowledge of Him

 

Thankful for grace

 

I've experienced it throughout my life in so many ways

 

Thankful that God's mercies are new every morning.  Can't wait to see what's in store for tomorrow!

Thankful Thursday

 

 

It's been a painful evening

 

I was working in my shop and had a spring come loose

 

Not sure exactly what happened, but received blunt trauma to my right eye

 

after a short period of intense pain, I opened my eye only to realize I couldn't see anything

 

I have much to be thankful for

 

Many praying family and friends

 

my eye doctor had office hours this evening and was able to fit me in

 

There is no visible tearing of the retina

 

I was able to get medicine to help start the healing process

 

my wife is a great nurse (and she didn't give me a hard time for doing something stupid!)

 

I've often said that no matter how bad my circumstances may seem, there is always something for which to be thankful.  This is a fine example of that truth

 

As I sat in the doctor's office waiting for the dilation drops to do their work, I began reciting Ps. 121

 

Thankful that I know where my help comes from

 

Thankful God is the creator of heaven and earth

 

Thankful God never slumbers or sleeps

 

Thankful He is my protector, my shield and the guardian of my way

 

I may not always understand His ways, but I know that He is good

 

I know that He holds me in His hand and there is nothing that can separate me from His love

 

So grateful for God's abiding presence, for His Spirit who indwells me and reassures me that I am His child

 

One of these days, I'm going to see Him face to face and worship in His presence forever

 

So thankful for that hope!