Thankful for the Rain
As I'm sitting here the day before Thanksgiving, I'm trying to think of a unique or creative way to share the things I'm grateful for. A little 'thankfulness tree' or something else to display around the house. But then, as I started to list the things that I'm grateful for... more questions started popping into my mind. My list of things I'm grateful for could be endless. I am so blessed... in more ways than I can count... and I'm sure in more ways than I even realize.
I'm thankful for my children, but that's easy. They're wonderful. I'm thankful for my husband, but he's pretty fabulous as well. So I started to think... as a christian, shouldn't my thankful list look different? My was conclusion was... yes, it should! Of course, this does not minimize all of the wonderful gifts that we have been given and should be grateful for... just a different perspective.
1) Thankful for my bad days. The days that my back pain is at a 10 and I want to hurl things across the room. It's days like these that make me rejoice when my pain is only at a 7.
2)Thankful for feeling lonely. The days when friends fill my home are so much sweeter because I've tasted loneliness and desperation for true friends.
3) Thankful for having a colicky baby. It forced me to hold him more than I would've otherwise. I think little Elliot got way more attention from 'the mama' than the average second born. As I look back at those first several months, I know that it is only the Lord's mercy that I didn't loose my mind, though there were a few close calls.
4) Thankful that I've tasted heartache. Thankful for two babies waiting to meet me in heaven. As I remember these bitter and disappointing moments, I am forced to trust the Lord in a deeper way, especially during pregnancy. These moments have also made the sounds of a little heartbeat the most precious thing I can imagine.
5) Thankful for depression. This is still a hard one for me. But as I look back on my lowest and darkest days, I realize that's the time the Lord used to lift my eyes beyond this earth and to eternity. There's something sweet and relieving to know that this world simply cannot meet our expectations. We were created for a different place.
These are just my thoughts, for now. I certainly don't want to impose this way of thinking on anyone else in an insensitive way... and I don't expect all christians to thank God for all the bad things going on in their lives. There are still many things that I simply cannot thank God for, especially when I see suffering in the lives of those I care about. But I am thankful that our God is a Redeemer. He takes awful things like miscarriage and pain... and turns them into a sacrifice of praise. Things that we can ultimately thank Him for, instead of blame on Him.
He is teaching me to trust Him when the clouds hide the sun and I start to feel raindrops. To have eyes of faith to see the seeds that are just beneath the surface waiting for water... and to imagine the beautiful flowers that are about to bloom.
I'm thankful for my children, but that's easy. They're wonderful. I'm thankful for my husband, but he's pretty fabulous as well. So I started to think... as a christian, shouldn't my thankful list look different? My was conclusion was... yes, it should! Of course, this does not minimize all of the wonderful gifts that we have been given and should be grateful for... just a different perspective.
1) Thankful for my bad days. The days that my back pain is at a 10 and I want to hurl things across the room. It's days like these that make me rejoice when my pain is only at a 7.
2)Thankful for feeling lonely. The days when friends fill my home are so much sweeter because I've tasted loneliness and desperation for true friends.
3) Thankful for having a colicky baby. It forced me to hold him more than I would've otherwise. I think little Elliot got way more attention from 'the mama' than the average second born. As I look back at those first several months, I know that it is only the Lord's mercy that I didn't loose my mind, though there were a few close calls.
4) Thankful that I've tasted heartache. Thankful for two babies waiting to meet me in heaven. As I remember these bitter and disappointing moments, I am forced to trust the Lord in a deeper way, especially during pregnancy. These moments have also made the sounds of a little heartbeat the most precious thing I can imagine.
5) Thankful for depression. This is still a hard one for me. But as I look back on my lowest and darkest days, I realize that's the time the Lord used to lift my eyes beyond this earth and to eternity. There's something sweet and relieving to know that this world simply cannot meet our expectations. We were created for a different place.
These are just my thoughts, for now. I certainly don't want to impose this way of thinking on anyone else in an insensitive way... and I don't expect all christians to thank God for all the bad things going on in their lives. There are still many things that I simply cannot thank God for, especially when I see suffering in the lives of those I care about. But I am thankful that our God is a Redeemer. He takes awful things like miscarriage and pain... and turns them into a sacrifice of praise. Things that we can ultimately thank Him for, instead of blame on Him.
He is teaching me to trust Him when the clouds hide the sun and I start to feel raindrops. To have eyes of faith to see the seeds that are just beneath the surface waiting for water... and to imagine the beautiful flowers that are about to bloom.
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