Thankfulness

Thanksgiving is tomorrow, but why should we only be thankful once a year. I know tonight we will be having a testimony service at church. And just looking back to last years testimony service, I have soooo much more to be thankful for. Last year at this time I was still overcoming a serious state of depression with me thinking my family was incomplete with my son gone. With the grace and mercy of Jesus he showed me different. See David left to Japan and I was in a frame of worry thinking the same thing was going to happen to me again. But God being the awesome God he is, kept me busy with a granddaughter on the way. And it worked. The scenario isn't what any mother would want (yup, i know...who doesn't want a grandchild.. but with an unwed teenage mother, its a little different; but that's my daughters testimony and I will share that later with her permission)See my son is home now for the holidays and we have a new addition to the family. We are complete.
See, I have never been one to cry or show my feelings unless they were fueled with anger and hate. But softness and love I never showed.. because I believed it showed weakness. This weakness I speak of has helped me grow so much this year. I never thought I would have a relationship with my daughters the way I do today. I was just telling my hubby on our way to my favorite place Winco (yup, i know.. who the heck's favorite place is a grocery store; just one of my little joys in life) that I was so thankful that my daughters trust me enough to open up to me, to trust me with their problems, feelings, heart! Thats a big thing, because last year at this time I was still trying to win their love back. As you might of read in past blog entries, I have alot of failures and being a good mom was one of them. But God has restored the time the locusts have eaten and given me a "prodigal son" type of renewed love with my girls. I am ever so Thankful for that. The chains have been broken and now the love I share with them they will be able to pass on to their children. Jacinda with Athena, I can see the love she has for her now, and I am ever so proud!!! She is the best mommy I could ever imagine.

I manage a property for seniors and disabled people, some of these people don't have family to celebrate the holidays with, so I made a Thanksgiving Feast for them from scratch yesterday (not no pre-made meal you buy from Alberstons). I was running back and forth between both properties I manage to get everything together and as the festivities began, the most unexpected thing took place. The lady that was meanest to me when I first started this job (yup I know they are old but she was just down right mean) I mean the lady asked my why I smiled so much when I started, because working here that smile isn't going to last. Well 2 years later the smile has diminished a bit, but getting back to what blew me away. Each and every one of them (we had a full house, another thing that has never taken place) stood up and said what they were thankful for. Some were so minimum, just thankful for their health to make it to the meal. Last but not least the mean lady, said " I saved the best for last, we are thankful for our manager" I was speechless. So not like them. But once again God is on the throne, he blessed me with this job, because he knew I needed to be able to get along with all types of attitudes and personalities, especially with Jesse being called to preach. 
Finally I am just so Thankful for my husband, he is my second stepping stone (Jesus is my first) these two rocks, help me get through everything. I am just glad our friendship has blossomed this year, like when we were best friends back in 1992 (yup, i know...i'm aging myself; but see I am thankful for that too, because it has given me a couple of notches of wisdom).
Well I hope everyone will have a blessed Thanksgiving!!

Psalms 95:2

 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.