Concerning Thanks

Abby, my daughter, often holds my face when she talks to me. She will be so close that I almost go cross-eyed.  A few weeks ago when I carried her out of church like normal, she kissed me on the forehead. Sometimes she will come sit on my lap and lay back onto my shoulder. Last week when I got a flu shot, Abby kept laying on my sore arm. Yes, it hurt. She often comes to steal my spot in bed. At naptime, she will ask me to pet her face to help her sleep. Abby calls for me to come help her all the time. When I am getting ready in the morning she has to be in my room so she knows I am close. At bedtime, she seems to call me every five seconds. (That can be annoying.) The point is, Abby stole my heart a long time ago and things that would typically bother me don’t with her. I have a very strong German bubble and very rarely is it invaded. Yet, Abby pops it every time, and she does it as much as she can. Mindy has asked, “Doesn’t that bother you?” I say, “Well, not with Abby.” When I see Abby I am thankful for what God has given me in her, and some of my normal annoyances fade away.

There are times when you don’t want people to see you. Perhaps you are going through something that you are afraid will change others perception of you if they found out. You would rather keep a protective bubble around you, which keeps you far enough away that you can have your moment of pain, sadness, or just loneliness. This year was one of those years for me. God taught me so much this year. I felt really challenged. It was so hard. My family will never be the same after 2015. Although, I guess we could all say that every year, but this year for me seemed like more learning and more struggles than ever before. Mt. Calvary, so many of you were there to see the great days and the hard days this year. My bubble was broken and my protective layer cracked. Some of you got a glimpse of something that, had it been my way, you would have never seen. Yet, all I can say is that I am thankful. I am thankful to serve you. You showed me, time and time again, your great potential of extraordinary servanthood.

Thanksgiving is a time we gather together and show God thanks. So often Thanksgiving is also the time we gather with family and have all of our bubbles invaded. Family can be like that, knowing the ins and outs of one another. This year as we celebrate Thanksgiving, I want to rejoice over the people of God that He has surrounded me with, the type of thanksgiving Paul expressed for the people of God in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4. Mt. Calvary, thanks for breaking my bubble this year and giving me strength. I am so thankful to be here and worship with you. Thanksgiving is the end of the year for our church, and I am thankful to end my year with the family of God and excited to see what God has for us in the new church year.

“We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers.”

1 Thessalonians 1:2