Sunday Musings!

I decided today to remember and write down all the things I'm thankful for! This could take a while! Psalm 92:1-2 "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night."

I'm thankful for the Lord and His mercy to me when He saved me. His unconditional love, His life that He laid down for me so I could be forgiven and have a home in heaven with Him someday, His forgiveness, all His attributes that allow us to have a peace that passes understanding, how He shows that He cares for us!

I'm thankful for my husband. He's such a hard worker and a human "rock" that we can all lean on. He takes looking for a job seriously, a time of daily family devotions is important to him, he cares for us, he has been mopping the house once a week for me at least 14 years now (if not longer!), he changes diapers, babysits, cooks, fixes stuff - I just couldn't ask for a better husband!

I'm thankful for all my children - what a blessing they are to us! They are such a joy at every age and I pray for the ability to appreciate it ALL the time. My only thought it how unworthy I feel to be blessed with all of them and ask the Lord for help to be a good mother. It is so wonderful to see them grow up, become independent people, and most of all, to see THEM love the Lord. We pray that for all of our children. 3 John 4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth." THAT is our prayer for them!

I'm thankful for our new little one being knit together inside of me! Jim told me this morning that he found the meaning of John in his Bible, and it means, "God has been gracious." It couldn't be a more fitting name!

I'm thankful for my son-in-law Travis (married to Rebekah) and my new granddaughter, Eliana. Travis takes good care of Rebekah, and Eliana is a little sweetie pie! I just enjoyed a night out with Rebekah, Eliana, and Hannah for my birthday. What fun to spend time with them as grownups! Times that I only dreamed about long ago!

I'm thankful for the godly heritage of my parents, David and Elaine. I'm thankful for all the love and the lessons I learned growing up in their home. (My dad passed away in 11-99.) I'm thankful for my stepfather, Richard, and for the love that he and my mom have for each other. Thankful for how they have grown in the Lord together, how you watched over them through all of Richard's cancer treatments, for the love they have for our family! God couldn't have given me a better mom. She is so caring, understanding, and enouraging in the Lord, just like my dad was! I won't even go down that road - I'll be crying for sure!

I'm thankful for my husband's parents and the family I inherited when I married Jim. I couldn't ask for better in-laws. They have been supportive and loving to us and we always have a good time when we get together. Gennie taught me how to successfully cook and manage a Thanksgiving Day feast. Jim's father just passed away this past summer and we mourn the loss.

I'm thankful for a good church with a pastor that truly takes his responsibility seriously and shepherds his flock. I'm thankful for the visits to our home, the times he has taken our children out for lunch to talk to them or invited them to his home to keep up with their life, or hosted Bible study get-togethers for groups of teenagers and young college students.

I'm thankful for our church family and Christian friends. As a mother, it is a real blessings when people show a genuine interest in my children and spend time with them. It makes me smile when I think of Mr. Johnson playing ball outside with Elisabeth, Mrs. Johnson teaching Joel to crochet a potholder for me, Mrs. Terpstra teaching Elisabeth to cross stitch or sharing a pear with Thomas, Mrs. Collier spending time teaching Elisabeth how to play the piano, Mrs. Fujii spending time with Daniel and Joel teaching them Origami and how to speak Japanese, Mrs. Levy spending time with Joel in the nursery, and I'm sure I'm forgetting many others. Oh, Mr. Udwary teaching grammar to the children! And Mr. Terpstra trying to teach the children how to have an Australian sense of humor! All the Sunday School teachers/youth group leaders that spend their time teaching my children and us. The list goes on and on!

I'm thankful for their home school educators that care more about our kids' education than they do about money, that forgave our tuition until Jim is able to get a job. Friends that have helped us with rides, helped our computers rid themselves of viruses, given us wonderful farm eggs, helped us with the fence on our property. It is so good to remember how good people have been to us and how God cares for us through human means! It makes me cry and so thankful for all the blessings that I have.

I'm thankful for all the trips and time spent driving in the car, flying in airplanes, helicopters, riding bikes, buses, and how God has kept us safe through it all. Preserved us through sickness, surgeries, C-sections, childbirth, falling out of tree swings, household accidents, lost children, snakes, scorpions (in the yard, wash rags, Bible covers, playpens, falling out of AC vents, on the floor), etc.

I told you this would take a long time! I'm sure I could keep going! When you start thinking about it, it gets overwhelming.

God has provided for everything that we have ever needed! Note - I said "needed". Sometimes we get "needs" and "wants" confused. God has provided WAY BEYOND what we have needed and wanted! Praise the Lord!