Thank You Lord

There's a song I love to sing called "Thank You Lord" and it starts like this...
"Thank you Lord for loving me and thank you Lord for blessing me, thank you Lord for making me whole and saving my soul." I love that song...The words of that song have always resonated with me.
I don't know why, but I awoke at 4:00 this morning with this song going through my head and as I do most times when something like this happens... I rolled over and tried to go back to sleep... well as you can see rolling over didn't work so well... so it's now 4:30 and here I sit... recline actually in my bed, typing on my laptop (Thank you Lord for sending people like Lara and Bruce into my life who besides fixing laptops do so much more to enrich my life.) Have you ever sat and wondered why this person or that person is in your life... well I'm a firm believer that the Lord sends people into our lives for a specific reason or season of our lives... some are just here briefly, but they touch our lives in such a way that we will never forget them and the impact they have on our lives goes with us throughout the rest of our lives. Others that He sends, stay with us longer, they walk with us daily, they are there through the joys and the sorrows, the laughter and the tears, the ups and downs on this roller coaster called life. A friend of mine recently lost her father and her brother in less that six months. I cannot even imagine how she and her family feel after losing 2 such vital members of their family.. but I know that the father and brother have made an impact on not only her life but on the lives of each person they met, no matter how briefly or how long they knew them. Kathryn's story is still being written and the events of the last 6 months happened for a reason. The impact of losing 2 loved ones in such a short amount of time will be with her for the rest of her life, but I know that God will use this tragedy to help her to minister to someone one day in such a way that the other persons life will be permanently changed. So Thank you Lord for making us whole and saving our souls. We may not always understand, but we stand, we wait and we trust in You always to lead us. We know that You carry us in Your hands and cover us with Your love, surrounding us daily with Your peace. Thank you Father!
P.S. now I'm going back to sleep.. if the Lord will let me :)

Thankful - final installment

Today is Saturday and I've made it and accomplished my goal of listing 7 things each day that I am thankful for... here is today's list...

1. I am thankful for Kathryn Ponder and her courage to step out in faith to do what God wants her to do and for friendship which has richly blessed my life.

2. I am thankful for Lara Dodds, her exceptional singing voice which is truly a gift from God and for her friendship.

3. I am thankful for quiet Saturday mornings to spend time contemplating the wonders of God's creation.

4. I am thankful for all the ministers and elders at Highland Oaks who strive daily to do God's will.

5. I am thankful for the beauty of the human voice to lift praises up to God.

6. I am thankful for people who have the gift of cooking and for those that serve the food.

7. I am thankful for authors who with their gift of words can take us away for a little to places we may never see.

And there you have it the last 7 things on this list, but it is not totally complete because each day I find more "things" to be thankful for.

Friday's thankfuls

Ahhh Fridays... the end of most people's work week and the beginning of the much treasured weekends... Here is today's list of "things" I am thankful for...

1. Well for Fridays of course :)

2. But also for Mondays because they make us appreciate our weekends more.

3. For all of the animals, especially my cat Sierra.

4. For beautiful blue skies with puffy white clouds and dark stormy gray skies filled with the promise of rain.

5. The sweet sound of a bird song early in the morning.

6. Courteous drivers

7. Polite sales clerks.

More Thanks

Here is today's list:

1. For the mute button on my remote control

2. My boyfriend, James

3. My soft bed and comfy blanket

4. Rainy days

5. Cool, autumn days

6. Soft, flannel pjs

7. My computer

Thankful Day 4

Today I am thankful for the following "things"...

1. That I live in a country where I can worship God in my own way, without risk of persecution.

2. That I have food to eat daily when so many are starving.

3. That I work with children, they help me to see the world in new and different ways all the time.

4. That I have eyes to see God's wonderful creations and ears to hear the wonderful music of nature.

5. That I have moments of blessed silence, especially at the end of the day :0.

6. Chocolate

7. That I am able to own copies of God's words while so many don't have that privilege or are at risk of persecution for owning a copy. Thank you Lord for allowing me to be born in a country free of religious persecution and dear Lord please be with those that live in countries where people are not allowed to worship You freely. Watch over them Lord and please keep them safe and Lord please bring peace to them and let them one day live in a country where they can worship You without fear.

Thankful Part 3

Today I am thankful for....

1. Living in a country where I have the privilege to vote.

2. Being alive in this day and time.

3. My brother Billy, his wife, Ali and my niece, Bailey.

4. The friends God has placed in my life.

5. Having a rough over my head when so many don't.

6. Leaves that change color in the fall, causing me to be even more aware of God's wonderful creation.

7. My health.

I am Thankful part 2

Welcome to the second installment of my thankful list....

Today I am thankful for...

1. Parents who volunteer to go on field trips!

2. Beautiful sunny days :) Thank you God for sending such wonderful weather.

3. Brandi Bradford - who helps me make it through each day at work... and is such a great friend!

4. My job... which some days is a blessing and a curse :) but I wouldn't trade it for any other job.

5. My mom, who taught me how to be a lady (she really tried hard, it's not her fault I didn't make it all the way :)), how to dedicate myself to a job and to be loyal to my employer. She also taught me how to be a honest Christian woman and to stand up for what I believe in. I am so thankful that I had her here as long as God allowed her to be.

6. My dad, for always being there. Even when he's miles away! It doesn't matter how far away he is whenever "the car breaks down" or some other malady occurs I know Dad will always be there... he may not always be able to do anything but he's always there.

7. To God for placing me with 2 such wonderful people to help me grow into the person He wants me to be.

Well there you have it! I made it through day 2 :)
Check back tomorrow to see if I'll keep on track!

I am Thankful for....

During this month of Thanksgiving the church I attend has challenged each of it's members over the course of the next week to each day write down 7 things they are thankful for. This sounded like a great blog opportunity so this blog is the first installment of my list. I hope that I am up to the task of doing this each day. I am a great starter... but don't always complete tasks like this in a timely manner, so I invite each of you to hold me accountable to keep up with this.

First on my list -
God's great mercy - I am thankful that He is merciful to forgive me of ALL my sins no matter how BIG or how small... even though I have done nothing to warrent His forgiveness!

Secondly -
I am thankful for God's love - that He loves me no matter what - He is always there to love me, even when I feel unlovable.

Thirdly -
I am thankful for the refuge He gives me when my life is in turmoil. He is my Rock and my Redeemer!

Fourthly -
I am thankful for the peace He gives me in times of trouble.

Fifthly -
I am thankful that He is the Creator of all things... and that He created me just the way I am for His purpose and His glory.

Sixthly -
I am thankful that His hand that is always outstretched to me, lifting me up when I fall, holding tight when I feel adrift in a sea of lonliness, carrying me in my darkest days. I am so glad I can feel His hand around me each and every day.

And for today's seventh item on my list I am thankful to God for sending His son to this earth to pay the price for my salvation. How awesome that God is so giving that He gave His son for me.

So there you have it... the first seven things I am thankful for... How about you? What are seven things you are thankful for?

Check back tomorrow to see what other 7 things I am thankful for.