Thankful

Well, it seems that our family has hit the bottom of a valley again. It seems there is going to be some resolution to the "strange situation" my family has been in for almost the last 2 year; not a good resolution, but resolution nonetheless. I think I am hoping that it is quick and not dragged out any longer than necessary, so my mom can have some closure and move on with her life.

Meanwhile, we are all hurting, confused, and angry just to name a few of the emotions. However, in the midst of this 2 year valley, I am trying to remain optimistic and be thankful, as God tells us to do.

Tonight when we came home and walked through the door, as I do many times these days, I just thanked God for this beautiful home he has given us.

I am thankful for my health, and the health of my family. Just a mere 2 years ago, my mom was finishing up her battle with cancer, which, thank you Lord, she fought hard and won! I am thankful that the chances of her cancer recurring are minimal because of advances in modern medicine.

I am thankful I have such a caring, loving sister. She is a rock and has so much more courage than I ever will.

I am thankful for my godly mother who tells me that God must have something good on the way for us. I know she is hurting and unsure of the future, but she is also looking at the big picture and trying to see things from God's point of view.

I am thankful for Seth, who might as well be my brother-in-law. He is the brother I never had and I know he would have my back, should I ever need anything.

I am thankful for bubbly, happy, innocent, brings-joy-to-our-lives-like-nothing-else-can Zoe. I know without a doubt that God brought her to us "for such a time as this" and that this journey would be so much harder if she weren't in it. It's really pretty amazing how a 2 year old has "carried" us through these hard times.

I am thankful for the friends I have who have seen me through the best and worst of times. Many times I have cried on their shoulders. Many times I have poured my heart out to them. But even more importantly, many times they have prayed for me. I cannot ask for more from a friend.

Certainly not least, I am thankful for my wonderful husband. He brings me joy and laughter. He is a wonderful provider. I was just thinking the other day, since I am not teaching anymore, why would God let me do 4 years of college to learn a profession I'm not even doing anymore? The thought crossed my mind, that maybe, just maybe, it was so I could meet Anthony. Had I not studied education in college, I never would have taken that impossible Math 200 class that Anthony and I shared together. Now, we were in brother/sister dorms, so maybe we still would have hooked up, but maybe not. Maybe it was being in that math class together that picqued our interest in each other. Who knows. Whatever the reason, I am thankful that God brought him to me.

Although I am not happy with or proud of the path my father has chosen to take, I am thankful that he was a good father to me when I was young, and that he and my mom raised me in a way that is honorable to God and in a way that allowed me to seek God.

Everyone will face hard times. It's inevitable. I am in one of those hard times right now. But I am thankful. There is a Caedmon's Call song that says "valleys fill first". When you are in a valley, that is the best time to feel God's blessings and be thankful. When God does send his healing rain on our family, our valley will fill quickly and bring us closer to him.

There was a family on Extreme Home Makeover that had the father pass away. One thing he said, that was very important to that family was something to this effect: there are so many things to think about, but there is nothing to worry about. That has just seemed to stick with me and come to my mind the past couple of days. For me to worry about the future is to doubt that God will take care of my family. I know he will. I am trying to choose not to worry. I am so thankful.