Give Thanks 2010

I got an email this morning from a young fella sharing his blessings from God and also challenging us to give thanks for at least ten things in our lives.

I used to post my monthly  gratitude items on this blog, I had challenged myself to give thanks daily, and I was posting these regularly until they got a little too personal.  Having a grateful heart is an important discipline for me to develop, when I stop complaining about life and start to appreciate every moment of it, I can see so much of God in the tiniest detail in my life.

So I am responding to my friend’s challenge, and here is the ten items of thankfulness for this year.. ( so far)

1. This is something precious I learned this morning:

as I took Jaden out, I saw this poor three-legged dog hoping up the hill, I felt really sorry for him, but then when I looked carefully , this dog was happily sniffing everything in sight, he looked so contented. His disability is just part of him, and not an inconvenience  It reminds me even things might look bad, it is the way I make of it.  No matter it is sunny or rainy day, it is from the Lord .Yes, I give thanks for all the circumstances of my life.

2. I am thankful for the many lessons I have learned this year, some of these lessons were very tough, and I am still trying to unravel the mysteries of others, but I am so grateful for the fact that the Lord loves me enough to keep on teaching me.   I am not getting older, but I am getting better.

3.  I am thankful for my children, I used to take care of them, now they have been taking care of me, knitting me socks to keep my feet warm, cooking for me, and cleaning for me, praying for me.   It is so wonderful to be pampered like a queen.

4. I am thankful for my brother and sister-in-law, they have been wonderful role models for me.  They definitely exemplify what it means to be a disciple by their faithfulness to God,  their love to their church family.  Even though at times things had been difficult, they never forsake the body, and their love have not changed at all and most of all God has given them a special calling in the middle of difficulties.

5. On the subject of my brother-in-law, he had a closed call recently, he had to have major heart surgery, even though he did not show any symptoms, but the doctor incidentally  found that four of his major arteries were blocked, and he had a time bomb in him.  We are so thankful that  he was able to get operated right away, and is now recovering.

6.  I am so thankful for this wonderful trip in June, it is one of the many provisions from God, I was able to spend some fun time with my godson and his family and most of all, I was able to rest up before the summer rush.

7.  I am so thankful for wonderful friends God has placed in my life, and there are so many of them that I could only invite two of these families to share thanksgiving with, I remembered one of them said to me earlier this year” Your family is my family too.”  How blessed am I !

8.  I am thankful that God has sent me a Christian friend in the neighborhood, and just like me she is a widow, we are able to support and encourage each other.

9. In the beginning of the year, I came across these words of wisdom, and it has been my mission statement for this year:

“In your life, learn to walk with Jesus. In your faith, be real and never fake. And in your ministry, surround yourself with people who are better than you.” I am thankful for this wonderful nugget of truth.  This is something I tried to live by daily and take it to heart.

10. Most of all, I am thankful for our newest addition to the family, even though he is not officially in the family until next May, but I already considered him as my boy, I am grateful that God brought him to us, and that I can love him and care and pray for him just the way the Lord wants me to.

(P.S. He is kind and gentle, an awesome cook,  a very handy man and yes, he plays a mean game of speed scrabble, and does not let me win!)