Bring it on/be thankful

The past two days have been HARD. VERY HARD. Lots of little things piling up. Here's just a brief recap: Matthew had an appointment that will hopefully change the rest of our lives. We will see where that takes us. The car decided to be a jerk and had to be fixed. Apparently, somehow, somewhere, someone decided we shouldn't live in the county where we actually live.... and when Jamie went to pay our car taxes, he couldn't be/c they told him we lived in a different county than we do. A county we'd never lived in. And if we'd have been pulled over for anything, we'd have gone directly to jail, do not pass go, thanks for that. So Jamie had to deal with the tax commissioner's office and prove to them who we are and where we actually live. (Are you serious?) I had an appointment and need to be seen by a specialist and might need another ear surgery, might not... it's just been one piled on thing on top of another piled on thing. I am praising God that we are getting answers about my ear issues and Matthew's issues... and I am PRAISING GOD that nothing is wrong with our tiny miracle baby.

In the midst of my woes... here is my pastor's thoughts on his blog this week. I thought I'd copy and paste it over.

It’s Always Right to Be Thankful

September 7, 2010 at 2:16 pm · Filed under Uncategorized

As I was reading the Scriptures a couple of weeks ago, I was convicted to just pause and thank God for what most of us would view as little things. I know that at Thanksgiving, we pause and devote a day to thanking God for our blessings. While I think that it’s good and healthy for us to do that, I think the danger we face is in possibly segmenting our gratitude and limiting it to a certain season.

So I started offering prayers of thanksgiving to God as people, things, and blessings came to my mind, and I found myself with a stream that seemed to increase in its scope and intensity. I must confess that I don’t always do this in my prayer time, but that day it seemed so natural and was such a sweet time to just thank God for everything that came to my mind. I didn’t exhaust my list at all, but there are other days, in God’s will, that I will have to remain thankful. Here are a few of the “small things” that God brought to my mind:

Sunrises and sunsets Memory Beauty

Ice cream sandwiches Music Faith

Laughter Family Strength

Now, if this seems hokey to you, just read I Thessalonians 5:18, then read Romans1:21 and 2Timothy 3:1-5 where thanklessness is a mark of the unconverted. Then go and spend some time in thanksgiving for what God brings to your mind.

I went ahead and looked up his verses mentioned for us all...

1 Thessalonians 5:18

¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Romans 1:21

²¹ because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

2 Timothy 3:1-5

¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

Thank you Pastor Joe for helping me to remember that instead of shouting "BRING IT ON!" "What else do you have up there in store for us?!" what I should be saying is "Thank you God." "Thank you for being you. For loving us. For keeping us safe. For our home. For our love. For your love. For Matthew's Christian education. For all the things that do keep us going on a day to day basis. Thank you for the morning you give us new each day. Amen."