Saturday, October 8, 2011

A Thankfulness Journey

I have decided to spend the next few months finding something hopefully every day that I can be thankful for. I have been reading a book by Ann Voskamp called A Thousand Gifts. So here goes for day 1.

Day One: I am thankful for my God. Psalm 28:7 says "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." God has done so many things for me over the past 34 years of my life. He is always faithful. There every step of the way. Even when I stray He seems to be right there.

As I sit here saying that I am thankful for God, I am also convicted. How many times do we take God for granted? We just leave Him behind and then wonder where He is at when we need Him. We then begin to blame God for not being there for us when we need Him. I just want to say to myself sometimes, "Silly girl, He is where He has always been. You were the one to leave Him behind. God has not gone anywhere, you have!" Too often we only run to God when we need something from Him. How selfish can we be? We treat God as an item placed on a shelf that we can just pull out when we need something. We should be thanking God in the little things as well as the big things.

I hope that by writing down 1000 things that I am thankful for, it will help remind me of God's grace and mercy that He has shown on me.


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Friday, October 7, 2011

Changes

To those that know our family is about to make ONE BIG CHANGE!! We are separating from the military. This is one huge and scary step that we are about to make. We are not separating on our terms. The Air Force is pushing us out. So that in itself can be very scary. I have had my moments of tears, anxiety, excitement, anger, and relief. As I sit here typing this the tears are running down my face. The military has taken us to many places that otherwise we would never have gone to. We have made lifelong friends that have become family to us. It is hard to say those good byes and yet still look forward to what God has planned for us.

When the news came down that we were going to be separated I immediately panicked. My first reaction. I cried out to God and His arms were instantly wrapped around me. I cried and cried but in the back ground God kept saying "Everything is going to be all right. I know what I am doing, just trust" Trust, that is a big thing for me to do. For those of you who know me well I like to control things and right now everything is out of my hands except for the way I react to the situation.


So what happens now..... Well we are moving home. Home, wow I thought it would have been years since I would be able to say that. Texas is home! We are headed that way. Shawn is going to finish his nursing degree and after that get a job. We plan on finally being able to buy a house after his school is complete and he is gainfully employed. Our adoption plans for a third child are going to be placed on hold for now.

There is a song that fits us perfectly for where we are at right now. Here are the lyrics:

when you don't want to face another day
seems like your life's one big mistake
failures from your former self chase you
listen close so you know what to do

you may not see it
you may not feel it
but I'm holding you tightly
your spirit is near me
so hold on hold on
it will not be long till its all over
child hold on hold on
lay your weary head upon my shoulder

the pain is beating down so faithfully
but my love is more faithful you will see
and the winds will show no mercy for your face
but your heart is safe secure inside my grace

and you may not see it
and you may not feel it
but im holding you tightly and your
spirit is with me so
hold on hold on it will not be long
till its all over
child hold on hold on
lay your weary head upon my shoulder

and you may not see it
and you may not feel it
but im holding you tightly and
your spirit is near me so hold on

hold on hold on hold on
child hold on hold on no
it wont be too long oh hold on
hold on it will not be long till its all
over child hold on hold on lay your weary head upon my shoulder
hold on hold on it will not be long till its all over
hold on hold on lay your weary head upon my shoulder
if you don't want to face another day hold on child hold on