Gratitude.

Every year I find Thanksgiving to be a time not only for great food and fellowship with family or in our case friends that are like family. But to really think about the things we're blessed by, not just the little oh I'm thankful for my dog (not in my case of course) or my husband, but really and truly grateful for what God has done and is continuing to do in our lives.

I had originally titled this post statistics. I'm consistently leveled by how much we have and how little others have. We are SO rich. SO SO rich. Then I think about no matter what "stuff" we have I'm leveled at the gift of salvation and the lavish love my Father pours out on me.

When I reflect on what my Savior did for me on a tree I'm leveled. He gave His life so I could live in eternity with Him. That's a gift like no other. My gratitude starts there. To my God and King for giving me life. A gift I'll never be able to repay. A life I'm honored and humbled to walk out as His daughter.

Sometimes I think we get lost in the day to day and forget Jesus. We forget what a gift it is to know Him intimately, to be loved by Him perfectly. To rest in that.

When I started my thankful post I got a little side tracked. (I actually started this a few days ago) I got an envelope in the mail. There was money for our adoption made out to Lifesong - I was giddy. I changed our little thermometer to reflect that we were just $25 short of our referral fee.

Then I got an email about another check that had been mailed to Lifesong for us. This tipped the scales and put the thermometer where it is now. I know of two other checks also on their way and I sit here weeping. Our referral fee is covered. We are able to say YES to our daughter without hesitation or worry about money. Thank you to each one of you that have had a part in making this happen. We're so thankful. While we still have big travel expenses to pay we are rejoicing in Gods provision. Today He has covered this expense. I love what Gods word says about not worrying about tomorrow - He cares for even the sparrow - how much more does he care for his children. Each one of us. Again reading in the message version (yes I'm on a roll reading passages I've known for years in the message, makes it interesting and I love it)

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your life than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer appearance than the clothes you hang on your body. Look at the birds, free and unfettered, not tied down to a job description, careless in the care of God. And you count far more to him than birds. Matthew 6:26

As Elisabeth Elliot says so beautifully -

"I have one desire now - to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it."