Thankful Thursday 5/28/15 - Giving Thanks

Okay, I'm a few days off, but it was a short week and I got my days messed up.  That's my story, and I'm sticking to it :-)  I wanted to post a quick update on my great-nephew.  He is doing very well.  Scans are showing positive results, and each day seems to bring more good news.  Thank you for your love and prayers.  I was discussing this in my prayer group earlier this week, and trying to identify my deepest feelings.  I know life is short, and generally shorter than we anticipate.  Carter's story could have gone much differently.  I wrestled with my feelings; would I still be praising God if it had been bad news, instead of good?  God is able to handle all of my messy emotion and irrational behavior, thank goodness.  But would I have trusted Him if 'my' prayers weren't answered?  Sometimes we don't know the answer to those questions until we are in that situation.  I'd like to think that at some point I would conclude that I trust God, in the good and in the bad.  In the meantime, I'm trying to focus on God, knowing that terrible things can be used for good.  It's like spiritual exercise - just as an athlete trains for their next event, I want to prepare my soul for the challenges coming.  Death, loss, destruction, evil.  They are part of our fallen world.  Yet we know:

"In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world."  ~John 16:33b

Prayer - Lord, Your love of us is beyond comprehension.  You feel our hurt, pain, and confusion as we struggle in this world.  Help us to cling to You, secure in the knowledge that whatever befalls us, You are present.  May we bless You always.

Precious Time

It's been a strange month for me.  I haven't written much here, and I've tried to avoid thinking about why.  I have so many thoughts and inspirations, but I haven't given them or myself an outlet.  I think I was frustrated with God, and was using passive-agressive behavior to retaliate.  The childish attitude that 'I'm going to purposefully snub this gift, or something.'  Obviously, not much logic involved.  It became easier to ignore the desire to write than to do something about it.  Given enough time, I could have pretended it didn't matter if I never continued.  But that's not true.  Because by not writing, I'm not being honest with myself or to God.  Granted, God already knows all that there is to know, and loves me anyway.  But I still like to pretend that if I don't tell God, He doesn't know :-)