Today I'm thankful that we are going to have another child

Our twin boys were born in February of 2008.  We had always dreamed that our children would be two years apart.  Well we had twins so at least our third child would be only two years younger than our boys.  So naturally we began praying and trying for a child in 2009 so that the baby would be born in 2010.  2009 came and went, then 2010, and then exhaustingly 2011 came and went.  Still no child.

Today I'm thankful for my friend Don.  I have only known Don since April.  And last week he passed away.  I wish I had, had more time with him, because I had more to learn from him.

When I first met Don he gave me the hardest time about who my college football team was.  Honestly, I don't have one (another story for another day).  Not only did he give me a hard time, but he asked me some really pointed questions and made some comments that challenged me. At first I didn't like this, but then I realized how much those questions and comments have shaped me in such a short time.  One comment Don made, was something like, "preachers always talk about what to do, but don't do it."  Ouch!  But many times if not most times, he's right.  Now when I say something or are developing some kind of theological or ecclesial thought or motivation, I search my own heart first.

Beyond these things, Don was one of the best givers I've known.  He gave out of pure joy and out of his heart.  I won't even give examples for fear that when we are together in heaven, he would scold me for telling.  He did it in secret and never needed approval or congrats for doing it.  I saw the Lord in Don.  Don wasn't afraid to ask the tough questions in a Bible class or say the thing that everyone was thinking, but no one was going to say.

I love Don very much and I'm going to miss him tons.  Selfishly I needed more time and should have taken better advantage of the time we had together.  It's not that often you make friends with someone so quickly and deeply.

Don you will be missed.

I'm thankful for a Savior who still lives and cannot be defeated.

Jesus is more than a bumper-sticker saying or a cliche phrase we like to throw out when needed.

He is actually serious business.  He is serious on love.  He is serious on compassion.  He is serious about God, Spirit and the church.  He is serious about salvation.

Going to the cross is more than we will ever be able to imagine in our lifetime.  My hope and prayer though is that Jesus doesn't simply become a celebrity effigy that gets us what we want when we want it or explain away pain that's not explainable.  I pray that Jesus is ultimately our salvation and compass back to God.  He came to seek and save the lost and one of his departing statements is basically, If I can do it, you can to, now go and do it and I'll be here to help (Matthew 28:16-20 extreme paraphrase).  Jesus doesn't just save and move on.  He saves and stays.  He saves and walks with us.  He never leaves the journey, but continues to travel with us.

I'm thankful for the sacrifice of Jesus.  But Jesus is more than a sacrifice, he is a savior.  And a savior sacrifices and then lives with you through all of your pain, joy, and mundane life.  I'm thankful that my savior lives.  Anyone can die, but only the one true God can die, raise to life, and then continue to care for not only those who follow, but even those who killed him and continue to defile him.

I love Jesus!  I'm thankful for Jesus!  He has changed my life and ever since I was 9 years old in his arms, he has never let me go and has never let me settle!

Check out famous sermon from Dr. S M Lockridge youtube below:

I'm thankful for a creative, creator who sustains my life.  God is too big to fit into a blog post, much less the boxes I put him in daily.  I'm thankful today for a God that is creative.  He has created the world and continues to create through human minds and hands and through his own ability and work in the world.

God created a place and a people.  Then He chose a certain people to be his and though he would like to destroy them many times over, he, in his infinite mercy and grace, allows life to go on and in fact loves us despite our crazy antics.  God thought enough of us to send his Son, Jesus, just for us that we may live forever beyond this life we have now.  And if that weren't enough, he puts His Spirit into the world so that we might never forget who Jesus is and what he has done for us.

When your existence is solely because of God how can you not start here with thankfulness.  He is evident, even when I can't see it and He is God, whether I like it or not.  But truth be told, I love God and I'm thankful for ALL that he has done.  It's not about me, but about Him!


CHECK OUT THIS YOUTUBE VIDEO OF NEED TO BREATHE SINGING, "SIGNATURES OF DIVINE (YAHWEH)"

The other day we gave our twin boys a little "prize" or something special, just because.  Their response wasn't quite what we had hoped...they whined about it not being exactly what they wanted.  If you are a parent, you know how this really hurts your feelings and then makes you worry about your child becoming a spoiled brat!  Well...I'm not really that different.  When Life doesn't turn out just like I like it I whine and complain and vent my frustrations.  

When I have been discouraged or frustrated before I have done gratitude journals or writing a sentence each day of what I'm thankful for.  So for the next 40 days, which will cover Thanksgiving, it is my plan to each day write what I'm thankful for.  It would be great if I could blog each of these things, but they may end up being simply Facebook or twitter posts.  I want to encourage you to join me starting today to write what you are thankful for (something different) each day for the next 40 days.  We will end on December 10.

I know that by being thankful publicly it will create a "New" me, that is more about Him!

I'm also going to try and get my 4 year old boys to do this too!  Here's to thankfulness!