THANKFUL

THANKSGIVING day was a true blessing to me.  Cayler my resident chef/son made an amazing 23 lb. turkey.  I made cornbread dressing and other fixins'.  Priscilla (Kenny's mom) and I spent HOURS on Wednesday making her famous pecan tarts...well, I just helped.  My sister and her family brought tons of delicious food to join with ours and our good friend Jim blessed us with two homemade pies.  Needless to say we ate and ate!

Everybody enjoyed the 74 degree Florida weather with some archery in the backyard.  Our niece, Brittni, gained a new nick name of "Zena Warrior Princess" from her impressive  archery skills.  We finished the evening with a fire ring on the back deck and, yes...you guessed  it...another plate of food.  One of the highlights of my day before bed was browsing through one scrapbook after another with my oldest son Tyler by my side.

SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR!  As I've said on my blog several times already...my supportive and wonderful husband, my rock; our sons who make us laugh and who make us proud; peace in our home; all of our other family members, upstanding, strong Godly people; a church family whom we love and who loves us; a job, home, transportation, opportunities to serve, good friends, pets that love us; and health, yes health.  I could go on.

I FOUND MYSELF soberly aware and thankful one day this week for a cancer that is treatable.  If you have to get the dreaded "C" word, what a blessing it is to have a disease that has treatment options which provide hope.  To some people that may sound like an odd thing to be thankful for, but I am.  I know there are people diagnosed, even some around me, who are not given much hope short of divine intervention, and I know that there are no guarantees even with breast cancer Stage IIB.  Even though, I believe by the grace of God, I've remained peaceful about my future prognosis and outcome, my mind WILL go there from time to time to the "what if's".  Its in those times that I try to just hand off those thoughts and fears to the Lord like a child who pushes into his parent's arms what he doesn't want to tote around anymore.  It doesn't make the realities go away, but it acknowledges that someone bigger than I  is there to carry the load should He not take it away.  Which I guess leads me to my final and most important "thanks".

I'M THANKFUL THAT GOD CHOSE ME AND GOD LOVED ME EVEN BEFORE I LOVED HIM.  I don't pretend to understand and be able to answer all the "what if's" about my faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.  And I'd be lying if I told you that I feel Him every minute and can explain all the mysteries of God and life.  But you know, the older I get in Him, the more I don't feel like I have to.  He is God and I am not, for that I'm THANKFUL.