Being Thankful

Today I made a pact (in my head)...I am going to post every day until Thanksgiving with my top 10 list of what I am thankful for.  Today's message at church was about being thankful and I realized that I need to be more thankful.  I need to remember what God has done for me and my family!

Today's thanksgiving will be in remembrance of some things that God has done for Chad and I.

1. I am thankful that God supplied a 2 week honeymoon with exactly what we wanted!
story: Soon after we got engaged Chad and I discussed our honeymoon. We decided that we wanted to be in the mountains and on the beach and if at all possible we wanted it to be 2 weeks long.  How we were going to do this was a mystery to me. A week after this conversation a dear friend came up to us and said, "I would like to give you my beach condo for a week."  About a week after that another dear friend came up to us and said, "I would like to give you my timeshare - it's good for a week." In the midst of this discussion, a family member said, I would like to give you $1000 towards your honeymoon.  All that happened within about two weeks after our initial conversation. That had never happened to me EVER! We went to the beach, the mountains and finished in Washington DC.  It was actually a little longer than 2 weeks!

Picture from our honeymoon 

2. I am thankful that God supplied a full-time job for me about 8 months after I graduated from IU. 

3. I am thankful that God answered our prayers for a healthy first child (I was praying for a girl).  Amaya was born in April of 07.

4. I am thankful that God has blessed us with several vacations that we didn't have to pay full-price for.

5. I am thankful that God answered our prayers for a healthy second baby (I prayed for a boy).  Makiyah (Mak) was born in January of 09. 

6. I am thankful that God answered my prayers for red hair (I honestly don't know where it comes from other than God answered our prayers).

7. I am thankful that God speaks to us and let's us know that He loves us.  (When we were praying for Makiyah we wanted a nickname and we asked God to show us one.  He showed both of us a picture of a sky...so Makiyah became "baby sky" until he was born.

8. I am thankful that God sustained us through several months of being unemployed except for a couple part-time jobs.
 

9. I am thankful that God opened the door for a wonderful full-time job that Chad loves while at the same time continuing to some degree his work at the church.

10.  I am thankful that God provided for almost $30,000 of medical bills since last November.

I have a loving and compassionate God! Thank you Jesus!

Life is fragile....

So many hardships we face in life are so small compared to the big picture. What is the big picture?
The big picture is this...if we know Christ we have and know what happens after death.

My sister just lost her mother-in-law last night. Her husband lost his mom and their kids lost their grandma. She was just 61 years old. She was supposed to be around for many, many more years.

When I think of them my heart breaks today. I am sad for their family. I am sad that she went home so soon. At the same time that I am sad, I know that she has found her eternal home in heaven. She is singing with the angels. What a glorious time she must be having. Although we have tears here on earth, she is smiling - no longer in pain, no longer hurting.

Do you have that assurance today...the assurance that when you die, you will go to heaven? Do you know Him, the one who loves you with a love like no other.

Father, I lift up the Hershberger family to you. In this sad time give them a comfort in knowing you. I ask you to wrap your loving arms around them and speak to them words of life and love. I ask you to give them a peace in their minds and help them remember the things they loved about Mary and the good times they had with her here on earth. I ask you give comforting thoughts to the grandchildren - Cole, Aliyah, Brodie and Sydney, and children, Brad, Doug and Jill. Give them a greater understanding of your ways and your love. I pray also for Paul her dear husband for years. I pray comfort and peace for him. Thank you Lord! In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

There is coming a day,
When no heartache shall come,
No more clouds in the sky,
No more tears to dim the eye,
All is peace forevermore,
On that happy golden shore
What a day glorious day that will be!