Grateful

It is often difficult to count our blessings when one of life's storms is raging around us...and I, certainly as guilty of this as the next person, frequently catch myself saying "I know I have so much to be grateful for, BUT there's always that one thing that would make life even better"...

I found Thanksgiving to be a particularly difficult day for me. Even though I thought I was doing fine...preparing the turkey, making the stuffing and side dishes, mashing the potatoes, cleaning the house, setting the table...I couldn't shake the feeling of great loss. It was this day last year that we phoned many family members and shared our wonderful news...This year; in all honesty, I was just ready for the Thanksgiving holiday to pass...and was grateful when it finally did.

I do think that it is important to reflect on the things I am insurmountably thankful for, though...and thought I would share a few of them with you...

Grateful am I for a husband who loves me despite my many flaws...who laughs hysterically at my "witty humor" (even when no one else would find it funny), travels with me through life's abundant adventures and stands beside and often in front of me in an attempt to shield me from life's particularly painful storms. Blessed am I to have found this man, to love him so completely and to be fiercely adored by him in return.

Grateful am I for friends and family who continue to pray for us as we struggle through our life's most difficult year thus far...Blessed am I to know through these trials, you are there.

Grateful am I for a God who loves me unconditionally...despite my anger, frustration and barrage of difficult questions..."Why God?" - "What did I do to deserve this punishment?" - "Why do you allow us to continue suffering, Lord?"...I serve a powerful Creator, and believe (on most days) that He has a plan for me and will someday use this devastating chapter in my life to serve Him. Blessed am I to know that through Him, there is hope that next year will be better.

And BELIEVE me when I say, I am so grateful we are 31 days away from 2010!