Thankful

Another first...
Last year we had my Papa and Julius at the dinner table. Couple of weeks later my Dad passed away - slipped away in his sleep. Six months later Julius was gone to heaven.
To be honest I have asked God "What are you thinking God?" "How do you expect me to move on with so much loss and grief?" And "What is coming next?"
I confess that none of these questions are answered because they are not worthy to be asked. God is Sovereign, He is Creator and He is in control and I am so comforted by His Word. In the book of Job I read:
But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?
    What he desires, that he does. ¹⁴ For he will complete what he appoints for me,    and many such things are in his mind. Job 23:13-14.
And again in Lamentations 3
For the Lord will not cast off forever, ³² but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; ³³ for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.
The God I have always known is gracious and kind and so I looked carefully at what I am thankful for this morning.

I am so thankful for His love and His patience with me. Even when I ask stupid questions and I doubt and despair, His word tells me:

 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, ³⁹ nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 8:38

I am thankful for His Son Jesus and for His saving grace on the cross. I am thankful that I am saved and I do not have to do anything to gain His favour - I have it guaranteed and secure.For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. Eph 2:8-9

I am thankful that Julius is in heaven - not because he was "good" because the word tells us: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God Rom 3:23 but because of the saving work of Jesus Christ.

I am thankful that I will one day be reunited with Julius when the Lord calls me home and I will spend eternity in heaven with him worshipping Jesus.

I am thankful for the faithful servants of God who told me about Jesus and shared the gospel with me. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” Romans 10:15

I am thankful that even now as I wait and walk this lonely road that I am never alone. For His Word promises: And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19

I am thankful for my girls, saved and redeemed by Christ, beautiful because of Jesus. Oh so, so very thankful!
 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, Eph 2:9

I am thankful for my church family that has walked beside me, loved me, cried with me and shown me the love of Christ. God enlarged my tent and my church family has spread in the city and across the world and I am so thankful.

I am thankful for my Pastor who week after week faithfully teaches the word, unashamedly and boldly. If you want to check our his sermons visit: http://www.harvestyorkregion.ca/10139/blog/blog_id/24379/Harvest-York-Region-Weekly-Podcast

I am thankful for friends and family - my family and Julius' family across the globe that have not forgotten. I am thankful for my sweet friend in Mumbai who calls me almost every week and weeps with me.

I am thankful for every reader who visits my blog and for the many encouraging messages that I receive.

I am thankful for my girl friends and this is a subject worthy of a whole new post - who have prayed, sent me daily text messages, challenged me, loved me, tasted the very salt of my tears. I am so privileged.

I am thankful for our sweet friends who had us over for turkey dinner last night, opened their home and hearts to us and treated us like royalty. So thankful!

I am thankful for Godly men in the church who have stepped up to do practical works in our home that Julius did.

I am thankful for my small groups that have loved me, who put up with me, listen to my woes, share their hearts with me and cheer me on this path.

I am thankful for a friend who  has undertaken to teach us girls what a  balanced budget should look like and what financial goals should be in the context of God's Word - not an easy task for anyone I can tell you. Julius tried all his life to teach me how to even pay a bill and did not succeed. At the start of our marriage I thought red ink at the bottom of the statement meant that the bank had run out of black ink!

I am thankful for strangers who are praying for me. This past week I received a letter in the mail from a woman who I have never met and as she said, I may never meet, on whose heart God has placed a burden to pray for me daily. Her letter was straight from the heart of Christ to me. I wept - she described my pain and what I must miss about Julius as if she knew us both intimately. Who but God would inspire that letter? Thank you my friend.

I am thankful for a job that pays my bills and keep me so busy.

And yes Thanksgiving was sad, very sad but so filled with gratitude for His blessings that never cease.

Loved one what are you grateful for? I know that this is just a day and the world makes much of it and for those of us who are in deep pain and mourning it is jarring when someone wishes you a "happy thanksgiving". Happy?? really?? But it is a very good time to take an inventory of what God has given us that we absolutely do not deserve.
You will have more than a happy thanksgiving - because happiness is short lived. You will have joy in the midst of pain and sorrow. Joy in Him that is everlasting.
My lips will shout for joy,when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed. Ps 71:23