Many times when I hear people quote or reference this verse, they talk about how it is important to give thanks when things are difficult. That they would emphasize giving thanks in hardships and difficulties makes sense since it is rather atypical for us to be thankful when life is tough and frustrating.
But I think we need to emphasize just as much the importance of giving thanks in the good times. It is so easy to experience the blessings of God and not turn back to praise and thank him. It's like we might wonder where God is in the difficult times, but we almost take him and his provision for granted in the good times.
So all of that to say, Lisa and I want to make sure that we make our thanks known for how good God is. He has reminded us of this over and over and over again as we have traveled this adoption road. It doesn't seem so long ago that we were wondering...wondering if our agency would accept us; wondering if we would get through the paperwork; wondering whether we would have a boy or a girl; wondering what our child would like; wondering when we would get to meet him or her and bring our baby home. And as most of these wonderings have changed from unknown to known, we can't help but thank and praise our God for his presence with us and provision for us.
We especially want to praise him for his provision. As we have shared previously, God has moved on people's hearts to help us with the financial portion of this journey. Twice, people have given us $1,000 - and it just happened again this past Wednesday. Some very dear friends of ours who have been so supportive of us and journeyed right along with us gave us a card with a $1,000 check in it. When we thanked them, we were told that their gift was a God-thing. They had wanted to help us financially, made that commitment and then waited on God to make it happen. I am moved by their faith, and thankful for allowing God to use them as a God-thing in our lives, too.
There is another person who has been supporting us as well. We don't know who it is. All we know is that every other month or so we get an envelope with no return address and a Rochester postmark. Inside the envelope each time is a $20 bill and a piece of baby-gift wrapping paper.
And then there is the former co-worker who sent us $50 in the mail. The friends who have sent us clothes and other baby items in the mail. The pre-school teacher at our church who is giving us any of her baby items that we need. And of course, our family members (both biological and spiritual) who have provided encouragement, prayers, tears, laughter and gifts of money and baby items.
All these people giving and sacrificing because of their love for us and our little son. It makes tears well up in my eyes. And it reminds me of the enduring love of Abba, Father that moved him to give his Son in sacrifice for your sins and mine.
Oh, we have much for which to be thankful. Enough to be thankful in good times; enough to be thankful in the bad; more than enough to be thankful in all circumstances.
1 comment:
What a great post! Thanks for reminding us about all we have to be thankful for.
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