All for Love: A Heart of Thanksgiving

I have been mentally planning a "thankful" post for a week or so, but never got around to it. I am so glad I waited because our pastor preached a great sermon which changed my perspective on thankfulness.

One of the key points that hit home on Sunday was that it is easy to give thanks for all that is good in our lives, but do we stop to give thanks even in the deepest of pits? This year, our family has many good things to be thankful for, but have we chosen to give thanks through the trials? Before we left for China my aunt got some really tough news...probably the toughest kind one can get-cancer...no cure. My aunt Ila didn't hear the sermon I did on Sunday and for the months since her diagnosis she has chosen to praise our Lord! She chooses to see joy even in the pit! What a witness to believers and especially to unbelievers.

So after reflecting on our sermon and thinking about Ila I changed to regular tune of my praises...you know the kind like I am thankful for my home, God, family, etc. Of course, we are all thankful for these good gifts, but those are easy...I am choosing a more reflective way of giving thanks this year.

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks...

I am thankful for a burden for orphans. Praise God he broke my heart for what breaks His.

I chose to be thankful for Chloe's past-even her first days which where the most traumatic of her little life-God knew she would end up a daughter.

I am thankful her birth mother made one of the hardest decisions of her life.

I am thankful for our country...and drinking water (and toilets that aren't holes in the ground)....and hospitals and medicine. And that we can provide surgeries and therapies for Chloe she would have never received in her birth country.

I am thankful we went through two referrals and saw the faces of two precious children who we ultimately said no to. Those days were not easy, and I still think about those sweet faces, but those "no's" led us to Chloe.

I am thankful that my boys love, love, love their sister even though their lives have changed incredibly since we came home from China.

I am thankful we can use this experience to mold their hearts for the things of God.

I am thankful of Chloe's special needs. I don't think I have openly said here for fear of judgement, but cleft palate and lip is not easy. In fact, many times in grad school I closed my craniofacial abnormalities book and said silent prayers that I would never have a child with those needs. God was probably chuckling. My sweet girl's needs are many, but being a mother now of a child with special needs has given me greater compassion for children who I see for therapy and their devoted parents.

I am thankful for a surgery right before Christmas because I will have help to care for her over the holidays with Nick being off (have really had to chose to be thankful for this one because let me tell you I am not excited to be staying in the hospital the week before Christmas and to miss so many fun events)

I am thankful for my "net" and that I still have friends after not being one of the best these last five months.

I am thankful for a husband who "gets" that this life isn't about us. And chose to take a huge step of faith in this crazy mission.

I am thankful for my parents and ALL of their help-17 days (or as my dad puffs 20 days) with the boys when we were in China. And then all staying with them through all Chloe's surgeries. My cup runneth over!