I am thankful this year. Really, really thankful. The Lord has been so kind to our family this year. A few days ago Jonathan and I were reflecting on all of the large happenings of this year, and we concluded that this year has been pretty epic for our family. I got a promotion at work, Jonathan's career soared, we bought a new home we hope to live in forever, we successfully renovated a property (and promptly sold it to someone else), we finally brought home the daughter we had hoped and longed for for so long, and Jonathan's ongoing knee swelling decreased to nearly normal. Those are only the big things. It doesn't include all of the little tiny things that I am thankful for...like the way my children giggle together in the bath, or the bright, lone geranium blossom sitting on my windowsill that my son picked just for me out of the cluster I would have just left for the passerbys to see. The way my baby girl smiles so big. The way she fits perfectly here and now I can see what the Lord was doing when I thought I was wandering in the wilderness. The privilege of hearing what a 4 year old has to say every day. The chance to laugh, often. The simple joy of an impromptu family dance party. The thought that surely days with my small children are some of the best days of my life. Thankful.
It is so easy to be thankful for the good things. I think it is because we already know the good that has come from good things. It is much harder to be thankful for the not-so-good things. 3 months ago I wasn't feeling very grateful for a 19 month journey to my daughter. I was tired, discouraged, and beginning to question if the Lord had intentions to fulfill the promise He had spoken to my heart. I was broken. The journey was painful, as it had been full of lessons of surrender, of seeing my own insufficiencies, of failed matches, and of discovering that I wasn't in control of any of it. And I wasn't feeling very thankful for any of it. Today, I am. I am thankful for the refining. I'm thankful that the wilderness helps remind me how sacred it is to hold my baby girl each day. I'm thankful that the hard parts help us cherish the sweet ones.
So...for the good things...the hard ones...the ones transpiring that still don't make sense...I'm thankful this year.
1 comment:
thank you for reminding me to be thankful for those things that are still hard right now and the waiting that we are still doing. thank you Jesus for making us into reflections of you even when and especially when it is the hard way.
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