THANKFUL LIST

I am thankful for my God (the Only God) who loves me no matter what!

I am thankful for a little baby girl (almost 2 years old!) who has curly hair and spends most of her time being naughty ;0)

I am thankful for a little boy (almost 3 years old) who taught princess naughty everything she

knows!

I am thankful for an 8 year old boy who is tender-hearted and amazingly artistic - AND a little crazy!

I am thankful for a 10 year old Diva-Princess who radiates mercy and love!

I am thankful for a 13 year old son who still loves his mom and tells his x-box live friends about Jesus!

I am thankful for a husband who loves his family, is extremely handsome, and is also just hilarious!

I am thankful for our birth-mom who chose to give our daughter life and then place her in our arms - even though it was one of the hardest things she has ever done.

I am thankful for the soft, pink blanket that was lost and could never have been fully replaced- which got found!

I am thankful for my precious friends (both here and overseas) who are getting to share the message of Jesus with people who have never heard the Truth!

I am thankful for co-workers who love me even on the roughest of days.

I am thankful for my church family who extend grace in ways I have never seen before!

I am thankful for Don and Mary Campbell who love me and have blessed my family in ways that I can’t put into words.

I am thankful for our adoption agency and their heart for the Lord!

I am thankful for the opportunities I have to love people every day.

I am thankful for the freezer full of deer meat which will feed our family all year long!

I am thankful for roommates who love Jesus and are a hoot to live with!

I am thankful for a car that holds our whole family!

I am thankful for the sounds of little feet running across the floor in the middle of the night.

I am thankful for a fireplace that we use instead of a heater almost all winter!

I am thankful for my relatives that I only get to see a few times a year. Praise God that most of them know Jesus!

I am thankful for the friends I am still in contact with that helped teach me about Jesus when I was little - and helped me get through the most difficult times of my life.

I am thankful for my children who forgive me even when I am short on temper and long on talking loudy (otherwise known as yelling). :0(

I am thankful for simple pleasures (laying on the trampoline on sunny days watching as the clouds remind me of God’s power and majesty).

I am thankful for chocolate milk. No, really, I mean it.

I am thankful for memories of drinking chocolate milk with my daddy while we watched Wylie Coyote.

I am thankful that I got to take care of my mom as she suffered with the pain of sickness - and I am thankful that my ridiculous attempts at playing the piano brought her joy. I am thankful that I got to be the one who sat beside her as she cried about her weakness. I am thankful that I got to sing to her - and I am thankful for the way that she loved to hear me sing. Precious. Precious memories...

I am thankful that my parents introduced me to Jesus when I was really young - and I’ve had the benefit of His presence my whole life.

I am thankful that I am chosen by God.

I am thankful that I am loved beyond measure.

I am thankful that this world is not all there is.

I am thankful that Jesus would have died on the cross - just for me. And thankful that He died just for you too.

I am thankful that there is a better life waiting.

I am thankful that we all have purpose. And I am especially thankful for those who are living out their purpose daily.

I am thankful for a quiet day and a good book.

I am thankful for a noisy, hard day and a lot of weary news- because it gives God a great opportunity to bring Himself glory in the midst of the pain.

I am thankful for beautiful scenery - and colder weather.

These are just a FEW things that I am thankful for. Every hour I could add to this list....

I am thankful for YOU - who read my list all the way through. Yep, YOU - I am thankful for YOU!

Life...

Life has a funny way of throwing us curve balls doesn’t it? We get up - eat - shower - work - sleep and start all over again (maybe not in that order exactly, but some combination of those things I would think).

Why are we here? What is the point? What happens when we die? What happens when something takes ahold of our world (our personal world) and shakes it - takes it by force and seems to crumble everything we know into little pieces?

I have Jesus. I don’t just know about Jesus. I know Jesus - as my personal Hero - the Savior of my soul and of my every day. I don’t fully know Jesus. But, I am fully known by Jesus. I have Him. And He is sufficient. He is more than able... He is abundant life. He is the One who helps me when those questions need answering. My brother’s wife said it this way, “it is amazing how quickly things can change. I'm so grateful to know the One who doesn't...” So true. Things catch me off guard way more than I would like to admit. But, in the midst of life’s biggest challenges - I have refuge under the wings of the One who knew before I was born that whatever thing I’m dealing with, would come into my life. Wow. That concept is just life-altering. Why would I doubt the One who breathed my first breath of life into me - and who continues to know the number of my days?

I love this. The first account - Genesis 2:7, “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” NLT

And then this, Job 12:10, “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.”

How about, Isaiah 42:5, “This is what God the LORD says— the Creator of the heavens, who stretches them out, who spreads out the earth with all that springs from it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it:”

And finally, Acts 17:24 - 26 “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation”

This life is not some cosmic joke. This life is not really about this life at all. This life is about pointing people to the One who began it all - and the One who will finish what He began. It is about the ‘ministry of reconciliation’ for those of us who have taken literally the offer to become Christ’s Ambassadors. It is not about “tolerance” and “all roads lead to Glory” at all - instead it is about the One who gives us free choice to accept Truth and what He has done - and in return offers eternal life - a gift we could never earn - but a gift that is free for everyone. This is not about tolerance. This is not about peace - though there will come a time where peace will reign and the lion will lay down with the lamb. This is not about popularity or trying hard enough. It’s about realizing that our efforts couldn’t ever have been enough - and leaning on and trusting in the One who’s efforts have always been sufficient.

We have an opportunity every day to play our role in the best drama ever written.

The real battle between Good - pure, 100% no-blemish - good...

And evil - 100% - out to take your life - evil (disguised as 98% good).

My sleep has been so restless lately. Mostly because I wake up and I can’t stop praying for the things that are happening all around my life. And that is when it hits me - He is coming back for us - and we are not ready yet. He longs to come back for us - and we are not a proper Bride.

Final thought... Look into this scripture and ask the Lord to give you great understanding... I am praying that He will give great wisdom and understanding to us from these verses in 2 Peter 3:11-13... “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

Praise God who will make all things new - and Praise God that one day righteousness and justice will have victory over sin and despair. This is the God I serve. This is my source of hope.