Thankful

"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gosh, I can't even type that without crying.  It's been a week, y'all...I'm not even gonna lie, but God is so good to me.  To my family.  I'm so thankful for His provision and His strength.  We've had weird things to deal with this week, horrible poison oak, awful stomach cramps for me that medicine won't help, that kind of thing.  And in that time, it is so hard to pray!  

But I managed to still read the Bible each day, and even though I didn't have a lot to say to Him (not because I'm mad, because I felt the most awful I have ever felt in my almost 37 years), I managed to eek out a "Thank You, Lord."  Because even in these things, I am so thankful for Him!  And for friends who fill in the gaps for us with their prayers when we can't.  I'm thinking of a friend from our home-school group, who is an intercessor.  You talk about a prayer warrior...if ever there were one, my friend Angela fits that description.

I had an instance last week when I kinda felt like someone made light of what we were going through that hurt my feelings.  Even if it's not as dire or critical as her circumstances, to me at that time, it was!  I needed a sympathetic ear to vent to and I didn't get that.  I felt like I got condemnation from her and a reprimand for not saying the exact statement that she wanted me to.

I don't mean to vent on here, but this did lead me to a thought~all of us have our junk.  We all struggle.  Your struggles look different than mine and mine look different from another friend of mine, but instead of criticism and judgmental thoughts, how about a sympathetic ear?  A compassionate word?  A prayer uttered on their behalf?

I have a friend I graduated high school with, whose two year old son was just diagnosed with diabetes.  Thank God her oldest son is perfectly healthy!  Can you even imagine?  

Another friend of mine has two autistic children~two out of four, and everyday of her life she thanks God for them!  Because of what they have taught her and because God gave them to her.

Another friend from school was diagnosed with breast cancer.  She's the wife and mom to a beautiful family with five children.

Still another friend suffers from a possible ongoing, life-long battle with cancer.  As a single mom to three amazingly beautiful, talented and precious children.

My husband and now two kids are suffering with poison oak, and me...well I am (FINALLY!!!) being scheduled for some outpatient surgery in the next week or two.  All these past seven days I have had debilitating stomach cramps and today I finally got some relief from what has made me unable to even move on some days.

I'm not complaining, just making a point~we all have our junk.  When someone's struggles look different than yours, lend an ear, offer (in a nice way) an encouraging word.  Be strong for your friends and when they are too weak or tired or sick to pray for themselves, fill in the gap for them!  We are here on this earth for one another~to pray for and encourage and love on our families and our friends.

If we did more of that and less comparing our situations, can you even think of how better our world around us would be?  As much as we sometimes love to think it, this world does not revolve around us.  

I am preaching to the choir here.  (Myself.)  

We could all stand to focus more on others...think more highly of others...to honor one another in brotherly love.  

Needless to say, in my own little family, I have much to be thankful for.  Much, much, much.  Every good and perfect gift is from above (James 1:17) and I am thankful for each and every moment.  I am thankful that my circumstances aren't permanent, but am prayerful for the ones I mentioned above that are.  I pray that God gives them supernatural strength for their days ahead, and I know He will.  I pray that I can be an encouragement to them...I pray that all of us can be that for our family and friends who are going through a stormy gale right now.  

What are you thankful for?  It's a good time to reflect over the next few days...I didn't do it on social media, but I've been trying to keep up in my journal.  I am a few days behind, though and plan on getting caught back up.  

Love to all.