Thankful Thursdays - I'm Counting

Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage is hosting Thankful Thursday this week and yes - I know - it's Friday. I have been a bit preoccupied this last week and well...last night I figured I'd missed Thankful Thursday again, maybe next week but then I read the topic and I thought if there was ever a time when I should list out my blessings, now might be a pretty good one. So, I'm participating. A day late but... in no particular order... here are those things that I am so blessed by God that He provides for me:

1. One husband, two sons, one mother, one father, one sister, one brother, two sisters-in-law, two brothers-in-law, one mother-in-law, 3 nieces and one nephew. Those are the immediates. There are aunts, uncles and cousins galore... Families might be tough at times but oh the blessing of having one!

2. My job and my husband's job. Neither of us have had to take a cut in pay (praying that doesn't change, either), cut in hours or other stress-inducing factors.

3. My co-workers. I work with my mom and as we go through this latest crisis, they have been right there - covering the office when I've had to be gone, concerned and praying for Mom as she goes through all of this. I work with some amazing people.

4. My Lifegroup. That small group from my church who comes to our house once a week to study the word of God. They aren't just study partners, they are amazing friends, willing to do whatever is needed whenever it's needed.

5. My church. A pastor who teaches the Word, people who worship God with their whole hearts and a place to go and worship communally with my brothers and sisters in Christ.

6. My dog. Yup - my dog. He is unconditional love on four legs. I always know someone is going to be happy to see me when I come home - no matter when that is.

7. My health. It's not perfect but my legs work, my arms work, I can see, hear, taste, smell & feel things when I touch them. My voice works, my mind works and I am not ill.

8. My home. It's beautiful. It's small and comfortable and cozy and I am not closing the door to the idea that God might have something better for us and might ask us to move, I hope His intention is to leave us in this house until we head to our final home. It's practically perfect in every way.

9. My friends. So many of them from one coast to another. So many... so wonderful, each one of them.

10. Clothes to wear. Shoes on my feet.

11. Food on my table.

12. Money in the bank to pay the bills.

13. My women at the Everett Gospel Mission and my time there doing devotions.

14. Serving on the Board of Proverbs 31:20 Ministries.

15. Working with the Western Washington Coalition to Combat Human Trafficking.

16. Hair to brush.

17. Sweaters to pull out now that the weather is turning cold.

18. A bathroom - where I can take a shower. How many don't even have that simple luxury?

19. Choices. So many options.

20. A car to drive.

21. A Bible to read. How many countries is the Bible illegal to own? I not only am allowed to read it, I can read it in public, own multiple copies, talk about it with whomever I choose without fear of imprisonment.

22. Pens, pencils, paper and the ability to read & write.

23. Time away from work - there are an estimated 27 million people enslaved globally. I am treated fairly at work, paid fairly and I am given time off. My job doesn't ask me to do anything degrading, immoral or illegal. It also doesn't force me to.

24. My parents have been married for 43 years. Some pretty rough years but 43 years together.

25. When I flip a switch, power runs to the light and it works. Rain does not get in my roof. I have the ability to hire exterminators if my house is inhabited by any unwelcome pest guests.

26. I have furniture.

27. I have a stove, refrigerator and kitchen sink with running water. I do not have to walk up to 5 miles carrying a jug on my head, searching and hoping for water in a dirty, dried up river.

28. I have the means to sponsor two children. One in Indonesia and the other in Kenya.

29. My husband and I together make enough money that we don't just have to "survive." We can give a lot of it away.

30. My oldest son survived his addictions and is now thriving, living on his own and dating a wonderful young woman.

31. My husband cooks dinner!

32. I have more friends than I can count with two hands. To me, that's a huge number of friends.

33. I live in a country where I can openly worship God.

34. My family is headed to Oregon in a few weeks to celebrate my husband's great-aunt's 90th birthday. A party is in my future! :)

35. Perhaps the most important right now - In my mother, what we were thinking was going to be Stage 3 ovarian cancer with, possibly, uterine cancer as well has turned out to be what looks like Stage 1 ovarian cancer. The final pathology and the definitive diagnosis comes October 19th but the surgery on Wednesday went so well and the doctor feels confident she got all of the disease out of my mother's body. All that's left is the microscopic stuff. Mom will need chemo, yes but it looks like one round and that's it.... I don't think I can yell my praise and gratitude loud enough...

36. I'd like to make my list longer but I really need to get back to work. My last blessing for this list - there are people counting on me and miss me when I can't show up.


There are so many more.... so many I could type for hours.

God is good. All the time. All the time, God is good....

Be blessed.