Thankful Thursday

I'm typing this early so I don't know if Rebecca Jo @ Knit By God's Hand is going to be posting Thankful Thursday today or not. She is still on the mend from her surgery and starting to get back into the work routine. Plus, she had an awfully emotional Christmas. Love you, Rebecca Jo, and sure hope the coming year is much kinder to you and your family.

Work is breathing down my neck, as usual, so let's get on with listing the blessings.

This week I am thankful...

** for and to the God who loved us so much that He sent His Son to live among us, to teach us how to live, and then to die to pay the price for all of our sins...for my sins...so that we don't have to if we only confess our sins and our need of Him. What a wonderful gift!

** that we have enough financially to give our loved ones what they wanted or what they needed. It is so fun to bless others beyond what they are expecting.

** so very, very thankful for a conversation I had with our daughter last night. She struggles with depression and anxiety and I know that a relationship with Jesus would help her more than any pill or therapy and have tried to encourage her in that direction for a long time (she was raised in the church so has the background).

This week had been a tough one because she and her husband finally had to admit that their beautiful chocolate lab puppy was just too much for them at this time in their lives...especially with another baby on the way. My husband found a home for him with a man he works with. The man has 5 kids to give the dog love and attention and he and his wife have owned and trained labs before. It will be a wonderful, loving home for Hank, but my girl and her husband were taking it hard.

Last night she confided, afraid of sounding "corny," that while she doesn't usually pray, she had been praying a lot the last few days, asking God for peace. The amazement on her face as she shared that she "didn't know what happened" but she had been filled with peace the last two days was such a blessing to this momma!

After hearing her story, I told her it was easy to know what had happened...God had heard her prayer and answered her. She questioned that because she said she didn't have a good relationship with Him, that she was, in fact, angry at Him most of the time. I was able to explain to her that God was letting her know that He's still there, still hearing her, still waiting for her and that if she'd spend more time building that relationship she'd hear Him and know He's there a lot more.

What a powerful seed got planted! This momma is now praying that it gets watered and tended and nurtured and given the chance to put down deep roots and grow!

** for the way our Lord uses even the worst tragedies for good. The Thursday before Christmas the young husband of a "girl" I know from youth activities years ago, was killed in a mining accident. He was 35 and left behind his wife and three young children. It has been amazing to follow the events that have unfolded in the days since. While crushed, his wife has found great comfort in knowing he is with Jesus and in the overwhelming love and support of a huge community that includes their church, the whole body of churches (because this couple was heavily involved in camp and more), the local Marines, the mining community, and so many, many more. What a testament to her faith in God that in sharing about the funeral she was able to tell of 4 people who accepted Christ as their Savior during the service and said that "for that, everything else was worth it."

** for all the sunshine this week. Yes, sunshine. In Pennsylvania. In December. It has brought warmer temperatures through the days, too. Tomorrow we should see the temperature reach 60 degrees!

** as always, for each one of you!