100 Reasons to be Thankful

My church as a group has been reading The Story by Max Lucado.  It is this awesome book that has been our guide for the preachers sermons and I highly recommend it.  It's an easy read and helps the stories from the Bible come to life.  Last Sunday, we got to the story of the Israelite's wandering in the desert.  My wonderful friend/preacher done a wonderful job teaching about the complaining and whining that went on in the desert but yet God provided for them every step of the way.  It felt like he was preaching right at me.  I never felt so ashamed of myself.  I had a hard week because I am putting time constraints on myself and more importantly God.  I have been feeling like I should already be pregnant by now and if I don't get pregnant ASAP then my "window" of fertility will be closed.  Yet I KNOW that all things are possible through God and I have to remind myself sometimes hourly that our time and understanding is far less than God's.   God will provide for all my needs and wants.  So instead of worrying about when will it happen, I need to re-examine what he has already provided for me.  Shane, my preacher, challenged us to sit down and actually write 100 things that we are thankful for.  I won't put them all but the ones that are the most important:

1.  I am thankful for a God that loves ME.  He has provided me more than I ever deserve.  A God that sent his ONLY son to save us, so we get to spend eternity  with him.  I am thankful he also does things just for me like wipes my tears and mends my broken heart.  He is there to hold my hand during the storms of life. 

2.  God answered my prayer and sent me a husband that loves me unconditionally, at my worse, in sickness and in health, richer or poorer.  

3.  I prayed for a child and God sent me an angel straight from heaven.  My son is the joy of my life.  He makes me strive to be a better person.  He is healthy, vibrant and smart.

4.  God chose us to be parents to a real angel, Cate.  We may not be there to give her hugs and kisses now but I can not imagine all the things she gets to see and for that I am thankful. 

5.  God gave me extraordinary parents that have always been there for me and now just not me but my own family.

6.  God gave me a brother, so I won't be alone in the world.

7.  Then he gave me a sister.  A sister whose not only my sister but my best friend. 

8.  He provided me a fun, loud extended family that showed me some of the best of times.

9.  He provided me another LARGE group of in-laws that are fun and diverse.

10. He has given us friends that stood with us on the hill on that rainy day and who has been there for us through every tear.

How true is this statement?  Things could be worse.  And yes they could be... but God always provides a way and never leaves us.  Just like with the Israelite's he will be our pillar of fire at night to lead us in the direction to his promises we just have TRUST!