Gratitude...

For getting to literally go "over the river and through the woods" to grandmother's house...Lord, I thank you.

For family who genuinely like and love each other ...Lord, I thank you.

For "faithful friends who are dear to us, gathered near to us once more"...Lord, I thank you.

For opening my dishwasher and seeing baby bottles...Lord, I thank you.

For the fact that my Christmas decorations are almost all up...almost...Lord, I thank you.

For sons grown strong, Lord I thank you. For daughters who are like pillars in the house of their God, Lord I thank you. For a husband who still whistles when I catch his eye, Lord I thank you.

For answering my prayers, Lord I thank you. For all-sufficient grace, I thank you. For tender mercies, I thank you. For strength, both physical and emotional, I thank you. Your gentleness has made me great, I know this, and I thank you.

For my white kitchen, wooden counters, cute new skirts, and Google Sky on my phone, Lord I thank you. For Pandora radio and Christmas music and tartan plaid and the way knitting relaxes me, I thank you.

For people who act so religious, they intimidate the Anti-Christ, Lord I thank you because they make me want to laugh and pick corn on the Sabbath.

For people who act so sinful, they intimidate Christians, Lord I thank you because they make me want to change and have compassion and manifest Christ to them and see them healed.

For all the prodigals who, simply by being who they are, reveal the heart of God and the heart of jaded elder brothers...oh Lord, I thank you.

For orange and clove scented candles, a clean house, and the basketball game I get to go to tomorrow, Lord I thank you. For our newest son-in-love, The Arteest, Lord I thank you. For looking into the "drum cage" on Sunday, and seeing my baby sit where his daddy has so often sat, swaying and bobbing like his daddy, Lord I thank you.

For tender words from Parris Island, for missing my boy so much, Lord I thank you. For love carried on wings for forty-something cents, Lord I thank you. For drill instructors who know potential greatness when they see it, Lord I thank you.

For finally setting in true elders in Harvest Church, men who care, who would never just up and leave, men who will actually obey the word of the Lord to "help us love these people" , I thank you with all my heart. For apostolic oversight and pastors all over the southeast and far north who rejoice with us, Lord I thank you. For men who fly in, just to be there to see a small church set in her elders, Lord I thank you.

For new horizons, and All That Is To Come, I thank you. For architectural drawings detailing a new layout downstairs in our church building, I thank you. For the FIVE new babies on the way, Lord I thank you. For finding out that yet another couple in Harvest is expecting, Lord I thank you.

You are good and Your love endures forever.