Day 2

Day 2
Monday, January 3,2012

Today is a day of many blessings. I want to just list everything I can possibly think of to gives thanks for but I am afraid if I deem this list "everyhting I'm thankful for" I will somehow forget something, or someone, and there will be ill feelings. So, I'll call this my...

List of Everything That I can think of at this Moment that I'm Thankful For

#1 My Husband. Everyday I am thankful for him. Maybe because I'd prayed for him and even written a list about all of the qualities I wanted him to possess. Maybe because I had even, at one point, lost hope that I'd ever find him and yet God has brought him into my life. This is not to say that he is perfect - but he's perfect for me,and -even better than that - he loves me and my imperfectness.... and for that I am thankful.

#2 My Children. Tayla, Jacob, Juliette and Cayleigh. To say that I have been truly blessed in my life would be an understatement. I've grown because of them both physically (wrinkles, gray hairs, waistline) and spiritually. My house is never quiet (unless they are outside or sleeping), its never 100%50% clean , there is a never ending pile of laundry and sometimes I go to the bathroom and hide... BUT... my house is always full of laughter (hey,somebody is either making a joke or making fun of somebody), my house is always full of love, my children teach me to draw closer to God (for sanity, peace, patience..), my walls are never short on Crayola covered pictures, I get to attend parent teacher conferences and hear about how gifted they are and feel proud, I get to watch them Learn and Grow, I get to kiss four little foreheads each and every day and my heart is overflowing with LOVE. For them, I am thankful

#3 - Cayleigh. I know I've already covered children in my last post but this little girl has truly changed my life. Having a child with special needs is challenging. No little boy or girl dreams of one day growing up to have a child with special needs, one who is hospitalized more often than home or who cannot always reciprocate the effort you put into your relationship with them - but if I could go back and be a little girl again - I'd dream for it. Why? Because having Cayleigh, a little girl with special needs, has taught me what Unending, Selfless, TRUE Love is in it's realest sense. She may not always smile at me, she may not reach her arms out for me to pick her up or meet those 'milestones' some idiot thought up 'on time' - but she LOVES me and I LOVE HER. With all of my heart, with every ounce of my being and until the day that I die. She is my heart. Sure, it's challenging, sometimes very tiring and it'd be easy to take the road to self pity - but I won't. I don't feel sorry for myself - I feel BLESSED. The Lord blessed me with Cayleigh and He brought me to a closeness with Him that I would have never had otherwise..of that I am certain. She has taught me to be unselfish, to be patient, to be faithful and to PRAY. Every moment of every day.. because God does answer prayers. She's a testimony to that

#5 I am thankful for Contemporary Christian music. Artists like Phil Wickham, TobyMac, Mandisa, Third Day, David Crowder Band, Laura Story, Christ Tomlin, Casting Crowns, The Afters, Mary Mary, MercyMe and radio stations like KLOVE help me get through the day. The music is uplifting and truly makes a difference in my attitude every day

#6 I am thankful, above all else, for a Forgiving, Always Loving, Wonderful, Glorious, Righteous, Powerful, Sovereign, Mighty God who sent His Son to die on the cross, shed His Blood to cleanse MY sins and those of my children so that whoever should believe in Him shall not perish, but have EVERLASTING life. and for THAT- I am thankful