When It's Hard To Be Thankful

Alright girls, I’m just gonna hang it all out. Thanksgiving evening for me was miserable! The company was good, the food was good, but there was something missing…gratitude. I can say in all confidence that God is so good to me. He has given me so much to be thankful for and yet somehow my grief and sorrow was too great a burden for me to bare. So, at the end of my Thanksgiving night behind an almost closed door I started weeping and saying to the Lord… “Lord, your word says that the joy of the Lord is my strength but why am I so weak? Your word says that in your presence there is fullness of joy so WHERE is my joy?” I continued to share my burden with him by saying “Lord, even as I am a mess before you I will bless you at all times…your praise will continually be in my mouth.” I felt like Job. My brother has died, I am full but feel desolate. Broken but hopeful. I’m starting to understand the verse “be patient in affliction” and I value even more the verse about how your sorrow may last for a night but your joy will come in the morning. Here’s the geeky, nerdy, writer in me: what a relief that the verse says that my joy will come in the MORNING not MOURNING. Anyway. Just a little bit ago something really wonderful happened to me. After being gone to Tennessee for a week, my son returned safely home. However, his body had not adjusted to the time change so even though it‘s 11:30pm he is still awake. I did what every God fearing mother would do…we ate a snack, snuggled, and watched some “Bob The Builder”. Being able to give him extra love and attention was exactly what God knew I needed to take my focus off of the hurt. God taught me that when I need him to save me in a most basic way, sometimes his answer lies in the room next door. Now it’s 11:50pm, on the eve of black Friday and He has restored my joy, given me strength, and I have a whole chocolate heart full of gratitude…more than when my day begun. Towards God I am the MOST thankful. Thankful that when He saved me he meant it literally for every day. Praise Ye The Lord!!! Here is the scripture to meditate on: Psalm 100:4&5 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever and his faithfulness continues to each generation. Happy Thanksgiving Ladies! Love, Dede