Give Thanks

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
~1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

In everything, give thanks. In. Every. Thing.

In the valley of sorrow...give thanks. In the sea of grief...give thanks. In the storm...give thanks. Weeping may endure for a night...give thanks. Ashes in the brokenness...give thanks. Mountains of laundry and cleaning to do in the next 24 hours...give thanks. A turkey that may or may not be thawed by tomorrow morning...give thanks. A less-than-perfect family holiday picture...give thanks. A little house that desperately needs cleaning (as I sit blogging instead)...give thanks.

Jesus came and He will come again...give thanks. He brings comfort for the sorrow...give thanks. He holds on to us in the sea of grief...give thanks. He shelters from the storm, and He tells the storm "Be still" when it's time...give thanks. Joy comes in the morning...give thanks. Beauty is born in the ashes of brokenness...give thanks. There's a family that belongs to this mountain of laundry, giggling, wrestling, ornery-grinning boys filling my house with life...give thanks. There will be turkey and other delicacies in abundance to fill us...give thanks. And there will be football, oh yes...there will be football...give thanks. There are people in that less-than-perfect holiday picture - people Jesus came for, people He died for, people He loves, people He's given us to love...give thanks. This little house is warm and filled with joy and love, and the people I am blessed to walk through this life with...give thanks.


This year, especially, I give thanks...

For my Jesus and His daily gift of sufficient grace.

For my husband's hands rough from years of hard work, folded in prayer on Sunday morning...teaching Timothy to hunt and hold a golf club, showing James how to cast the fishing pole in the perfect spot, playing his guitar, playing catch with both boys...his hands, holding on to mine.

For our boys as they grow and enter new seasons of life...what a blessing and privilege to witness it all...to be their mama. For the young men they are and the young men they will become. For the promises God gives us in His word for their future. For their laughter...the music that fills our home. (When not being drowned out by the sound of their arguing, of course.)For their health. For the joy in their victories and the lessons in their losses. For the lessons I've learned as I peek into the window of boy world.

For our church...and the body of Christ in general. For the love of Jesus displayed in His people...for the beauty of seeing the way God uses the body of believers to work together to fulfill His purposes.

For Sufficient Grace Ministries...the privilege of being used in whatever capacity the Lord allows to offer His comfort and hope to the broken-hearted. For the lives of Faith and Grace and Thomas...for the lives of all the little ones whose mommies and daddies still dream of until they meet again...lives that mattered...lives with a purpose. For the mothers I've met...the mothers who are walking the journey...mothers we are honored to walk with through the valley of sorrow. For those who serve with us, using their gifts...their time...their resources to bless and comfort bereaved parents. For those who support us with their prayers, encouragement, and resources. For God's hand leading, guiding, growing, nurturing, and providing for every step of the journey. What a mighty God we serve!

For friends...friends I've known since I was twelve, friends I pray with, friends I eat Chinese with, friends I shop with, friends in blog world and in real life, friends I've met in the valleys, friends who've come and gone, friends who come back, friends I work with, phone friends, friends who laugh, friends who will walk with us through sorrow and joy...friends who already have.

For family...the family that fills this home, my haven. For the family related by blood, and the "extras" who've entered into this fold. For the scattered pieces and for the pieces He has put back together again. For the ones who are with us, and for the ones who are Home with the Lord.

For an overflowing cup...give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving...may your cup overflow with the beauty of His grace.