Thank You

Sometimes when sickness plagues a person, it is easy to focus on the screaming of pain and the discouraging limitations.  I confess, I can forget to be thankful.  I wanted to take some time today to give thanks to all those who have blessed and helped us.


God:
I thank God for His wisdom and mercy in providing me with such a loving and sacrificial husband.  I could have been alone and dealing with this, and I don't know what I would have done.  I also could have had a husband who expected me to serve him and incapable of any compassion for my situation.  I am so thankful to God that I have a husband who serves me, even in my darkest hours.  I am also thankful for my daughter.  Many people with Lyme Disease have miscarriages, stillbirths or babies who die from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  My baby girl has been incredibly healthy.  I am thankful to God for a baby who is happy and easy to live with.  She doesn't make life difficult for me.  She doesn't fuss a lot.  She loves to make me smile.  She is content to play by herself.  This is certainly God's grace.  I thank God for moving me into this apartment just in time.  The house I was living in previously had many stairs, and God provided this apartment (which is all one level) just as I was seriously crashing.  I am thankful for God's provision of a job for Sony last year so that we have a little bit of provision during this time of financial difficulty.  I am thankful to God for His Word which gives me hope to press on.  I am thankful to God for the hope that one day He will personally wipe away my tears.  I could go on, but we don't have all day.

Family:
I am so thankful for my family as they seek to really understand what I am struggling with.  This past weekend my parents came and my mom cooked up a storm so I don't have to prepare much food this week.  They also gave me a bunch of meat (I need meat without hormones, etc).  I am thankful to Sony's parents who will be trying to come once every week to babysit Karalise in the mornings so I can rest.  I am thankful for my sister Lorri who picked up a car seat for me because we were too tired to get out.  I am thankful for my sisters who write and call me to encourage me.  I am thankful for my sisters and their respective guys who helped me move a month ago...packing us up and moving us.  I am thankful for my grandma and Miss Evans who have prepared meals for me, babysat Karalise and taken me to many doctor's appointments.  I am thankful for cousins who have offered to drive from great distances to come and help me, even though they have babies.  I am thankful for my husband who is patient with my shortcomings and limitations.  I am thankful for how he has taken on the role of housekeeper, mother, father, counselor and so on and so forth while I am unable to do my duties.  I am thankful for his sacrifices on my behalf (moving me to a different church so I can get out to church; quitting involvement in various ministries so he can be home to help me, etc.).

Friends:
I am so thankful for the phone calls, the e-mails, the gifts, the visits, the prayers, the love, the help and the babysitting.  I have had friends come over and make food for me.  I have had other friends buy meals from restaurants for me.  Other friends come and help with Karalise and cleaning at the last minute when I'm desperate for help because I am too sick to do anything myself.  God has given me so many good friends.  I am thankful for all these things and so much more.  I have had friends bring me flowers, clean my house, pack my things, help us move, give me spiritual counsel, allow me to stay with them so they can care for me, drive me to appointments, bless my husband, give us gifts of money and so much more.  I am attending a new church, and several people, without even knowing me have offered to help in any way.  Several at the church we have had to leave have given us the same offer, as well as financial support, and have even lent me a wheel chair.  Thank you friends.

Thank you God, thank you family, thank you friends for all your support during this time.  It has been very difficult.  In the last month there really been an outpouring of grace from all of you.  I know I have probably forgotten something, but please know I am thankful.  May God bless you all and keep you all.