Thankful for My Family

Like Lizardbreath, I have been reading the book Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. Studying it actually....I don't recommend it if you don't want to be convicted of those sins that society says are not sin at all and we have convinced ourselves are not really that bad. And I have not been as diligent with my study as I usually am due to less time with eturning to work. But this morning, for the first time in a long time, I did not have to be somewhere. Thor was preaching a funeral, our boarders are in OKC for Fall Break (except Bro. Mike, he hurt his leg yesterday playing paintball and has been hold up in his room all day...or perhaps he is just enjoying the not having to do something as well), anyway, I took this opportunity and quiet to catch up on my reading and study.

Among other things, one of the things with which I was confronted this morning is my lack of thankfulness. Today, this hit home really hard. You see as I began to reflect on what I had read and while doing some soul searching I thought about yesterday.

Yesterday my day started with a call from someone with crisis in the family. The call was for prayer and counsel. After an hour or so on the phone (pretty tricky getting ready and driving to work) I prayed that the Lord would give them wisdom and guidance in this time of crisis and decision. At noon I had lunch with a friend who is in crisis with her family. I could feel her pain and sorrow through her words and see the tears shining in her eyes. She just needed someone to listen and know that I would pray for her. After work I went to the hospitol to see my little niece who has Cystic Fibrosis. Maesa is three, the same age as the Warrior, but not expected to live past the age of nine due to her illness. My sister-in-law was there, but Seaweed was not. He had been to the VA hospitol in Muskogee the day before because of pain in his hip, leg and foot. By the time they finished with the exam they were not as concerned about the hip, leg and foot as they were the blood in his urine. Perhaps bladder infection or kidney infection or stones.

And I could probably go on, but the point is this. In my study today he talked about the 10 leapors who had been healed, but only one of them returned to thank the Lord for his healing. Unthankfulness is an afront to God. After all He gives us each breath we take, made us everything that we are, and provides for us everything we have. We should be thankful to him. Not only that, but we are to be thankful for the things in our lives that do not turn out the way we want. These things He has allowed to sanctify us and improve our character...to make us more Christlike.

As I continued to think about each of the circumstances in the lives of all of these people I have often said, people go to a lot of trouble to get their lives in the mess they are in....but the reality of it is this.....But for the grace of God....it could be me. I truly never want to forget that.

All that I am and all that I have is a wonderful gift from God. So...

Thank you God for the family you gave me. Parents who taught me of your love and showed me through example how to serve and honor you with my life. Thank you for siblings that love me and a wonderful relationship with them and their families.

Thank You for the husband that You gave me. For his love and service to you. Thank you that he loves me and provides well for me. Thank you that he treats me like a lady, tells me he loves me, tells me how pretty I am, and would die for me if necessary.

Thank you for in-laws that reared my husband and taught him about You and showed through example how to love and serve You. Thank you for teaching him how to be a man and love his family. Thank you that they consider me their daughter as if I were their own.

Thank you for his siblings that love us and give us love and respect. Thank you for those who are saved and serve you. And I pray that you would save those who do not.

Thank you for my children. Lord, they are a blessing to me and my life. They both love the Lord with all their heart and serve Him faithfully.

Thank you for my children's spouses. Thank you that they love You and serve you. Thank you for the relationship I have with them. I love them as if they were my own.

Thank you for six beautiful and healthy grandchildren. Thank you that at least three of them have already displayed an interest in "knowing" You. I pray Lord that "ALL" of my grandchildren will one day be revealed as members of Your family and serve you faithfully and consistently.

Thank you Lord even for my two little dogs, Sophie and Sadie as well as my granddogs, Maya and Roxie. They give us so much pleasure and display unconditional love to us all the time.

Thank You for the home you have provided, the cars you have provided, and the jobs you have provided. Help me always to be a good steward of these many and wonderous gifts You have given me. And thank You Lord for good health for Thor and myself. Help us to be content with what you have given us.

You are so very good to us Lord. You have been so good to us. So faithful to us, even when we are not to You. Forgive me Lord for the sin of unthankfulness, for I have much for which to be thankful. I am not deserving and yet you give to show Your love for me. Thank You Lord!

And Lord, for those things that are not what I want....

For the family in crisis that is in danger of being torn apart because of sin in their lives. That have put the futures of their children in jeopardy...Lord, I pray that you would save them. Help them to realize their need for You. And Lord whatever Your will is for their lives, I pray that You would give clear guidance and wisdom. Protect the children Lord and save them to serve and honor you. Whatever our part is to be in this situation Lord, help us to do what is right and pleasing to You.

For my friend Lord, I pray that you would give her comfort. Lord lift up her head. I know that she loves and serves you Lord, but right now she needs reassurance. Lord, help her children realize the hurt they are causing their parents. If they are lost Lord, save them. Be with the grandchildren Lord, protect them from harm and save them to serve You.

For Seaweed I pray for healing. I pray that his condition reveals something minor and short term.

And for Maesa Lord, heal her little body, that is my selfish prayer. When I look at those
big brown eyes and brown curly hair, that smile that lights up a room....it is difficult to think about and even harder to realize that she is as ill as she is. She seems to be a typical little three-year old girl who laughs, plays with baby dolls, and likes to have her hair put up in dog-ears. Oh Lord, intervene and heal this little girl I pray. But Lord, if it is not Your will to do so, I pray that you would prepare each of us for the days ahead and enjoy her while she is with us.

And Lord, while I miss my family terribly right now. Thank you that I have a family to miss. And thank you for cell phones and computers that help us to keep in touch when we cannot be there in person.

I love and miss you all.....and I am thankful for all of you.

Thank you God!

Renegade Review

OK, so I went to the Renegade Review with Reba last night. And today....well, after sitting for five hours on hard bleachers with no back support....today, I am a might stiff and sore. But that is not the point.

As I watched all of the top bands for this particular contest I was mildly entertained. But mostly I was longing for the good old days of military marching. You know, way back when bands marched with precision in straight lines and the spectators could tell what was happening on the field. Back in the good old days when the band was what the people watched and not the flags. And no wonder they watch the flags, I mean, never mind the fact that they are dressed in wild costumes which have nothing at all to do with the music the band is playing, never mind the fact that what they do does not even remotely resemble anything to do with marching... and now, nothing to do with flags or even rifles....more dancing and gymnastics, and never mind they seem to be from a galaxy far far away, at least they capture your attention. At this particular contest, the music was....well, not even enjoyable listening, except I still don't know how they made their instruments sound like organs....oh, maybe that was from the pit. And don't even get me started on the pit. You know, the place in front of the marching band, on the sideline. They don't march either, but they do offer something else to watch instead of the band. And when the band I came to watch, because it is the school band that my children used to march in.....back in the good old days when this school did military marching and the people when wild with excitement when they finished and loved it and begged for more! When that band took the field....it was more of the same.

Now, my children tell me that there is some value to the current style of marching and band presentation. And perhaps there is, I don't know. I just know what I like when I go see a band march. I want to see precision and not be able to keep my own feet still from the beat of the drums, recognize the sounds that come from the insturments and if they have flags...have them be the secondary show that compliments the band and not upstage it. I want a marching band to look like a marching band and not actors from Star Trek and I want to hear music that I can't get out of my head.

After the band I came to watch finished I was ready to go home. "How many more bands are there anyway/", I asked Reba. Four. The next band up was from Kickapoo High School in Springfield, KS. The show was named something about sleepy time. Huh, pretty good sized band. Pretty good marching, hey look, the flags compliment the show, and did I hear, "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in there? LOOK! They made a star! WOW! A star! When they finished, the crowd stood to their feet. They loved it!

A woman came down from above to talk with me. She was the mother of another "former" band member. One who had marched with my children. Her words to me were. "Did you see that star? Is it just me, or do you miss the old style of marching too?!" No, it is not just her.

When the awards were handed out, it was just as I expected. The band I came to see took first place! They always do. But, right there, right behind them....with the award for overall technical effects....was the Kickapoo band in second place....only .20 behind 1st place. And the crowd literally gasped!

I wonder what would happen, if someone was brave enough to do a full military marching show!
I know I would love it and go wild with excitement!

I think I will go find that tape with the show my children did when they were in the band.