Thankful list continued . . .

Because His grace just keeps coming . . .

- for the Blood and the Body - spilled and broken for me. And for the cup and the bread of remembrance. It is my Portion and it is Enough.


- for rain, as painful as it is. I choose to rejoice in this day the Lord has made. Yes, even this one.


- for windows. Let in the light and the view, keep out the painful chill. What a perfect barrier. Would that they made windows for my heart.


- for food tomorrow. Not everyone has it to put on the table.


- for freedom, so costly, so precious. To come and go, to work and earn, to live and love - all without fear for my life or my safety. Thank you, Jesus, Noah (my Navy-boy brother), and all of our service men and women.


- for light-hearted notes passed between my two small people under their bedroom doors last night. I love the way they love each other.


- for you. It's nice to be heard and read by friends. Thank you for seeing me.


More tomorrow . . . (unless I get too swamped in the kitchen to turn on the computer - *wink*)

I'd like to slow down

This time of year, I can't help but step on my imaginary time brakes and try to halt everything.

You know what? Imaginary brakes don't slow down a thing!

So, here's my rebellion against the rush. I'm going to post a list of stuff I'm thankful for. No Christmas lists. For me or others. Not because I won't give or receive or have a good time doing both in celebration of the Birth of my King. No, not that. It's because being thankful should take as long as it takes. Here goes:

- for songs like this one that draw my heart higher to Him, no matter how low it has sunk

- for the opportunity to write with two friends this morning, and be unexpectedly refreshed in that redeeming chance

- for the way He loves me even when I feel unlovable

- for a husband who offers me comfort, even in his own pain

- for friends who give me time to be quiet, a mentor who understands when I double-book myself and have to reschedule, and other friends who answer a desperate text in the middle of the night

- for courage to do what needs to be done

- for a daughter who cares about excellence in all she does, and a son who just wants to give others joy

- for generous people who spoil me often, not just on December 25th

- for technology - a beloved chain, I know; I'm thankful nonetheless

- for a furnace in my home and my workplace to warm me in this weather and temperature that stabs me in the back every year, no matter how hard I try to embrace it head-on

- for a little bit of energy left to give; just enough for each day

- for this song too, which brought needed tears to the surface today

Won't you be thankful with me this week?

I love you, friends. I'm especially thankful for you.

when it's hard to give

"Sometimes it's hard to give." -Cynthia Aldrich, Missionary to Haiti as we rushed around her table at dusk trying to get the right sizes of baby clothes to mothers waiting outside her gate.

So when is it too hard to give? When do you stop giving because it gets too complicated? Is it when the people in need are starting to abuse your generosity and rely less on God and their own part? When is the moment when giving gets too difficult to keep giving?

I just want to throw this out there. Argue with me if you must.

Sometimes it's hard to give, but it's never too hard. We keep on giving.

It was hard for God to give. Does that shock you? Do you think it was easy for Him to give manna and quail to his whiney, gripe-y kids? You assume ease for Him to deliver His people into the land of milk and honey, defeating tribe after tribe, just so they would turn away from Him and worship the very idols He hated? You don't think God has feelings too? Think again.

In the book of Hosea, God laments to betrayal of His people as they had turned away from Him to worship other gods and had abandoned His love and plan for them. He demonstrated it through the prophet, asking Hosea to marry a prostitute as an object lesson to the people. Being the obedient man of God, Hosea took Gomer as his wife, who subsequently left him to go back to her life of sin.

" 'I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about me,' says the Lord." -Hosea 2:13 (NLT)

But God had Hosea rescue her again, proving his love for her and His love for all of us, His Bride.

" 'But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there . . . I will make you my wife forever, showing you righteousness and justice, unfailing love and compassion. I will be faithful to you and make you mine, and you will finally know me as the Lord.' " -vs. 19-20

God gave. And then He gave again. And then He gave some more. His people have never been thankful enough, myself included. I've trampled the Cross in disobedience and thought He would be done giving me grace. It was hard for Him, but He gave once again. His mercy is not cheap. The high price of His blood is no small trinket, rather the greatest gift ever known. And on my face before Him, He gave it again. It is in His character and nature to give and keep giving, no matter how hard it gets or how complicated people make it.

And so we should do likewise. To one another. To the poor. To missions. To the broken-hearted. To prisoners. Give, and never stop. Like Him.