Thankful Thursday

Thankfulness starts with the fact that there is a God... and therefore it never ends.

Today I'm continuing my thankful list. Some of these are new discoveries this week... others are being rediscovered in a way that demands I list them.

I'm discovering thankfulness for:

• the peace of God that passes all understanding...
• cheerful beautiful blue skies through the bare branches of winter...
• prayer partners who face life's ups and downs alongside me, without judgment
• opportunities to know and to help those who have less in life than I do
• humility in knowing those who are miles ahead of me in this race for eternity
• precious faces of my grandchildren who recognize me - even via technology
• my own copy of God's Word, and the privilege of reading it and studying it
• my husband who provides for me, entertains me, and loves me
• my three sons - they are all so very special to me

Tuesday's To Do List...

Today is a day in which I need to get lots of things done. That sometimes seems true for everyday at our house, but for some reason especially today. I'm tempted to just write about those things which could be identified as tasks related to the special needs in the family, but the truth is - I have those tasks plus all the regular or normal or "typical" things to get done as well.

Admitting that my "to do" list is considerably shorter than those parents who are also working in "paying jobs", here it is:

• assist young adult son in getting ready for and physically getting to his day program at UCP LINCPoint - he cannot do either without me
• order refills for the prescription drugs that give my son (and myself) a better life
• call the case worker assigned to my adult son's services through the state's Department of Health, and Department of MHMR which assists those with developmental challenges like my son's - we need her help to resolve a problem we have encountered in "the system"
• call and make a payment on special pharmaceutical drugs that are delivered to our home monthly
• call a friend of mine whom I've been neglecting to call, being sidetracked with life's challenges
• spend time cleaning at least one room of this house
• finish folding the laundry that came out of the dryer yesterday
• call a repairman for the electrical problem that we are having
• call a repairman for the appliance problem that we are having
• plot the appointment dates onto the family calendar - includes MY appointments as well as our son's appointments. I want to see where we can fit in our next trip to see our grandchildren in TX!
• call to cancel the appointment made "automatically" by the medical center's clinic, and reiterate, once again, that we cannot attend appointments on Wednesdays
• pick up the refills of prescription drugs and sort them into several containers that are dated and divided by time of day - so that in our haste we do not forget a dose of one of my son's required medications
• call a brother who is having disturbing vision problems
• pick up my young adult son and come home, an adventure of about an hour and a half
• work a few minutes on the project of getting the filed papers in our home organized - steadily making progress!
• do afternoon skin care routine for our young adult son, and other such required things
• okay, and brush my teeth, take MY vitamins, EAT something, 30-walk on treadmill, and 15 minutes outside for "fresh" air
• oh! THINK OF SOMETHING FOR SUPPER, and go ASAP to purchase the ingredients that I can't find in the pantry

That's quite a list, and it's not everything - since I won't be writing here about a lot of what we do for our son .

I cannot face days like these or any day, alone. I must go now and prepare myself for the day, by reading passages in the Bible and by talking personally with the Lord in prayer. It would be foolish to start any other way!

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Colossians 3:17 NIV

Monday Musings...

This past week was a long week for me. My husband was out of town all week helping our oldest son with a few projects at their new house in TX. I was at home with our youngest son who has special needs. I was also NOT in TX where my two young grandchildren live. So time seemed to pass more slowly than it normally does.

Many things happened during the week to keep me extra-busy with caregiving chores for my 25-yo young-adult son... and so it was indeed a challenging week. In addition to the unexpected things that came up, some of our most-repeated challenges were especially challenging this week. But nothing happened that surprised the Lord, of course... and He had, in fact, prepared us ahead of time to be able to take care of those things that came up. God is so good!

And God is also ESPECIALLY good! He provided help for me for two days of the week, from my husband's mother. She is the family's "Energizer bunny", and a true blessing. Additionally the Lord provided an element of surprise. In more ways than one! : )

One of my nicer surprises was that I received a phone call from a friend from our church in TX. She was coming to Birmingham for a baby shower and would have time to visit with me on Saturday! Wonderful! I have missed my church friends from TX so very much since our move 3 years ago, and making contact with one of them is always a treat. And, during this challenging week, I not only got to hear from one of my friends from the past... I got to invite her into my home to sit and have a little bit of conversation with her! It was particularly encouraging to me!

God knows our needs. He doesn't need us to itemize them for Him on some sort of holy to-do list. In fact, that is FAR from what we need to do. What we need to do is to talk to Him regularly in prayer. In speaking to Him (prayer), we need to voice our awe at His unique position as God of all. As we talk with Him about our inadequacies, we need to commit to trusting Him to provide for the needs. And we need to share our thankfulness with Him. And when we've talked to Him this way, it is quite natural to share with Him the challenges that we see others around of us facing, too.

This week, amidst my own challenges, I did spend time talking with the Lord. And as a result, I think I was able to face the week without crumbling... and to lift up to Him the needs in the lives of those around me, asking Him to sustain them as well. And I know He did.

So how'd your week go? I'd love to hear about it in the
comments section... or in a private email if you wish to use that method.
Let's stay in touch, sharing this life and blessing the Lord together.

" Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever Amen."

...

Revelation 7:12

Thankful Thursday

Once a week, a few friends and I have shared our limited views of what we have been blessed with in this life. They've been designated as "Thankful Thursdays", but we are thankful every day ! Well, today is Thankful Thursday, and again I find myself with more things to be thankful for than I could ever hope to list! Praise the Lord, his mercies are new every morning!!!

I’m forever thankful for God’s power and love, for Christ Jesus and the salvation He purchased for me, and for the comfort and guidance of the Holy Spirit.


I’m also thankful today for…
1) overwhelming evidence of God's intricate design
2) two "P's" : Purpose, and Place
3) the fragrance of dawn approaching
4) an abundance of help and helpers following my surgery

5) day hab for David, five days a week
6) opportunities to honor God
7) God's assurance that He is "always there"

8) food for the soul (Gods Word)
9) David's occasional huge grins
10) heart-felt praise songs, and for sharing in worship together

11) precious prayer partners

12) the concept of networking (interacting or engaging in informal communication with others for mutual assistance or support) as it relates to persons with special needs )


Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.His love endures forever.

Psalms 107:1

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