Thankful Thursday

I'm sitting here in Missouri

Chris and I have been enjoying an opportunity to invest time and energy with our oldest daughter and her family

I'm thankful for my two grandsons

they are a blessing from the Lord

and I'm thankful for the resources to be able to spend this time with them

it's a long drive from Pennsylvania to Missouri

but worth the effort

and I'm very grateful for God's hand of protection over those many miles

I'm also thankful for the people God has placed here to be a support system for my kids and grandkids

I'm thankful God is caring and compassionate

He knows our needs and He is a generous provider

I'm thankful for the friendships I have been able to develop with men here as well

got to spend some time with one of them this morning for a couple hours

it was a blessing to catch up and just to share how God has been working in our lives

I'm always grateful for conversations that center around making much of God and His greatness

two weekends ago, I had the privilege of playing piano for my niece's wedding

it was an honor to be asked 

I'm thankful for the gift of music God has given me, and for the ability to just play off the cuff

what was supposed to be a 30 minute prelude turned into an hour because of weather delays

I'm thankful for the chance to catch up with some family that weekend

also had some extra time with my son who drove up from North Carolina and then traveled with us to the wedding

thankful for someone to share the driving with and just for the time connecting with him

I've also been playing piano while here and singing with the family

I'm thankful for the calming effect music can have

it has helped put my youngest grandson to sleep a couple times when he was agitated

I'm thankful God answers prayer

we've had a number of ways we've seen this as we talk with our daughter and son-in-law

thankful for their trust in God to direct and provide

thankful for His faithfulness in doing that