Thankful hearts

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate the bounty of the harvest and to reflect on how blessed we are, to give our thanks and praise to God for His provision.

Ever year we go around our Thanksgiving table and tell three things we are grateful for. It usually ends up being quite an emotional time as we are open and honest about the things that are on our hearts. Of course, the kids add a bit of laughter to the mix as they are thankful for silly things. If truth be told, the silly things are just as important.

This year has been one of the roughest ones we had to endure, with losing our home, being in the financial state we are in, with Bob's health, living from one shut off notice to another. Many people have said that there wasn't much to be thankful for but in spite of all this agony, we are so grateful. We praise God for all that we have seen, for His hand of grace and blessing on us.

Today, I am so utterly thankful for....

my children who are healthy and so full of life

my husband who inspite of his unbearable pain refuses to quit living life

for the 'six month grace period' that allows us to live in our home

for the food that amazingly shows up at our door providing our 'daily' manna

for the short times our electricity, phone, cable modem get shut off and then turned back on

for the money that surprisingly shows up at just the right moment

for the mercy God shows us daily

for the grace of God that we live under

for family and friends who amaze us with their encouragement and support

for the unspeakable gifts God blesses us with

for the life that was given so that I can have a relationship with my Abba Father

I was thinking the other day that we've now off-loaded all the material things that hold us to this earth. Our focus has been directed towards what is really important and that is Christ, in Him alone. We've been awoken from our slumbering relationship with Him and found that He is the true source of everything. No longer are we lukewarm but alive in Him. He is the fire that burns within us. He holds the stars in the sky and the water in the sea. No longer are the words, you've just got to trust God, words without meaning but we know first hand what that means. For this understanding, I am so completely and utterly thankful. Our relationship with Christ is the one thing that truly matters. I am so thankful He chose me to be His.