Thanksgiving

On Thanksgiving I always think of the hymn which is actually a Psalms "For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies. For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies. Lord of all to Thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise." In the movie Little Women they sing that song at the wedding! So then I think of that too! I am so ADD about stuff like that.

I've not been blogging a lot at all over these past months. Its really a little silly when I think about why I haven't. Mainly, its because most of what's been happening in my mind and life really isn't very funny and I don't like negative or serious stuff. I was hoping to keep that away from my blogging world. But it has come with some challenges. But before I can give thanks for the countless blessings in my life there is part of that Psalms that I want to focus. "For the love which from our birth, over and around us lies."

It's that Love from my very birth, and in God's Word it says in the womb too, the Love that OVER and AROUND me lies, that I can admit to the yuck and praise Him too without being one of those "negative about everything" people. Sometimes I look at people's facebook updates and wonder if they ever see any good in their life. (More like, will they choose to see any good). Then I think about my cousin who is dying of Pancreatic cancer. Let me clarify that. Her physical body is but her heart isn't. Her heart is getting ready to physically be with my Lord, now her Lord! It is so sad to know that we won't see her again for awhile. So incredibly sad that she's had to endure so much in just a short time. Those are questions that I don't think will be answered here. All I can say to them is that Adam and Eve sinned and this world is not what God wanted it to be. But I know in the sadness there is such a huge joy to know that she will be healed. Fully, wholly, and completely, without ever having to endure another earthly battle! That even though we didn't receive the healing that we had planned, a greater one will occur. With our healing, we have to stay here and endure more of this crazy world. With her healing, she gets to live in peace literally forever. For that, I am so thankful.

Now while I'm not ready to leave the world and experience that healing to be completely honest, I am so glad to know that it is there. The Love which has always been there for me, is still over and around me. These past three months have been a mix of emotions. God sent an anonymous giver to heal our son, and myself, of our household allergies. Neither of us experienced ANY indoor allergy problems this fall! (Or outdoor actually!) Healing came in the form of an envelope on my keyboard. Healing from allergies and the opportunity to have my dad at my house for 3 weeks!!

Then I sit and listen to Clayton read chapter books and say things like, "Mom, I am vacuuming the church because Jesus told me too," or I watch him play basketball, or I smell Richard's mud boots and praise God that his dreams are coming true and after 15+ years he sees hope that he won't have to go to a job he hates every day. (Which he NEVER complains about. He says "Its just what I have to do.") And how in spite of 2 pay cuts it still works out every month with some sacrifices that really end up not seeming like sacrifices. I also got to see my sister-cousins because of a "non-anonymous to me" giver :) and re-connected with a sister-cousin. It was a bucket list trip--just kidding sister-cousins!!!! :)
All of these wonderful blessings, and so much more, is the proof of the Love over and around me. Its because of God's great love through these things that even though its been challenging for me physically for the first time in many years, I can cry about it and smile at the same time.

I'm not ignoring the challenge. I've heard all kinds of lies in my head during the emotionally and physically "weak" time. All of which I've heard before. "You are too weak to get anything done. Why did you have to drop that 10th thing today! You are not who you were, and you are who you were :)". All of those things that I haven't heard in years seem to try their best to creep into my head and now I just fight to keep them out of my heart by the strength of the Love of the Holy Spirit over and around me and in me! I recognize them, I grieve over those times in my life, sometimes I ask for prayer from others, and sometimes I just sit with my Best Friend and say get me through it. And each time, that Love reminds me of the things above and so many other blessings!

So here is what I am thankful for, "for the Love, which from my birth, over and around me lies."
Happy Thanksgiving! I love you all deeply and I pray so many blessings from that Love to you too!

Unexpected Part 2

I got two coupons in the mail from CVS a month ago saying if I transferred or brought in a new prescription I would get a $25 gift card for each one. So I welcomed myself to CVS and came out with $50 worth of gift cards! Thinking I would save them for Christmas or other necessities I have been holding tightly to them.
Then Operation Christmas Child came up on the screen of our church and that was all it took for me to know that I needed to spend those cards on items for one boy and one girl. Of course it wasn't as easy as it sounds. All of you know I am not a girly girl but CVS had this big red bag that I thought I would buy with my gift card, wrap it up, and put "To Leslie From Santa" on it for Christmas. AND since things have been so tight this year I was really more concerned about saving them for things like toothpaste, shampoo, soap, all of those things that we need just in case Richard took a third pay cut. But I decided to use them for the kids and had a blast doing it!!!! It was so much fun getting items they both would need and then fun stuff like a My Little Pony and other little toys! (And mercy sakes, if God can give me free flooring through the entire house than surely he can handle those few little items we MIGHT need! Forgive me for forgetting so quickly Lord.)
Here's the unexpected part. When I came out of the store I was reading my receipt and at the bottom was ANOTHER coupon for a $25 gift card for a new or transferred prescription. Since I hadn't needed to fill my others which were at Wal-Greens I happily moved one of them today! $4 prescription for $25 gift card. Now I'm going to use it to buy some stuff for an outreach we are doing at our church. God is so cool! And who says that satan is the only one who can be doing things behind our backs without us seeing them! HA HA!