Thankful Thursday. . Part Two

First of all, I have to say that I was totally humbled and near tears to read from everyone's hearts last week!! I appreciate that open-ness and I felt thankful with everyone else too!!

Psalm 50:23 tells us

"But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God."

I have tried to be extra-thankful over the last week.  And my sister pointed out in her comment last week that it is easy to be thankful for the big things, but even then, it is easy to take that stuff for granted.  I don't know about you. .but I have never considered giving thanks to be a sacrifice as the scripture from Psalms suggests.  As I researched that verse a little, it really made a lot of sense.  Once God has our hearts, he really needs NOTHING else from us. He has provided our salvation as a gift--once we accept that gift, we need not do ANYTHING else to attain that.  We can't be extra good, do extra good things, or say extra prayers to please Him.  But we can be extra thankful to honor Him.  And because most of us aren't naturally thankful ALWAYS and for EVERYTHING. .I can see where it would become a sacrifice of your mind and your heart to keep that thanksgiving attitude at the forefront of our beings? Wondering if anyone else agrees?

That being said. .I am thankful today for the CHALLENGE of being a mother and a wife.  For those of you that are also blessed with children (and those who survived the children and now have the challenge of dealing with the CHILDREN of their children). .I think that you would have to agree that often times there seem to be more challenges than good things?! Challenges of attitudes, relationships, fighting, peacemaking, teaching them. .and on and on and on!! And the challenges of a spouse?? Those are there too--meeting their needs, accomodating to their schedules, willing to negotiate different opinions and sharing everything--even the covers with a bed hog!!

I am thankful for a home that I frequently liken to an "ant den." with busy-ness and chaos abounding in every corner. With more than one person talking at once about more than one different topic at a time, and children that even use my first name to get my attention from another child (including the littlest!) Even though it is undoubtedly the hardest job I will ever do I am thankful that I was allowed to have children.  From the time I was little and played with dolls. . To the time when I grew a little older and had names picked out for them nearly a decade before I would ever give birth to one (not that I stuck with any of the original names, by the way). Being a mom and a wife was something that I always wanted for my life.

I am thankful for this one. .our first born.  The one we practice on. The one that cried endlessly or ate unsatiably for the first 6 weeks of his life. The one that struggles with inattentiveness.

The hunter. .and the comedian.  The one who will be in high school in 8 short months. .and DRIVING.  The one who is always coming up to his mom and giving her a big hug. .even in junior high!

And then I'm thankful for this one.  The one whose expectant life we announced on Tristan's 1st birthday (in retrospect, I bet they thought we were NUTS and talked about us for weeks!!) The one who is totally black. . or white--no gray!! The one who always seeks to please.

The motor head, car freak who can tell you every make of semi truck there is when we meet them on the highway.  The one who loves ebay almost as much as his dad! The one that rarely misses a night of telling his mama that he loves her.

And thankful for this one. .the great debate.  This one that we argued about weekly for 3 1/2 years before we agreed to try for that girl. .just ONE more time!! This one that has more energy than the other 5 of us put together.  The one that loves shooting baskets, even if it is by himself.  The one that doesn't like to get in trouble and hasn't learned to talk back yet. 

The one that loves to be up in front of people, whether singing or speaking.  The one that never misses seeing me and saying "oh, hi mom" like he hasn't seen me for a week. 

And last but not least, totally thankful for this one!! The only girl. The one who caused me to call the OB/GYN to cancel my consultation appointment for a tubal ligation.  The one that I could hardly bear the thought of because I was OLD! The one that will cause me to stay young for a LONG time yet.

The one who loves babies and kitties and cheerleading.  The one who can give you a hug with every ounce of her being. The one who can look up from what she is doing and randomly say "I wuv you so much" and make everything better!

And THEN. .there's THIS one.  I'm so thankful for him.  Thankful that he is a hard worker and a great provider.  Thankful that he was a Christian that helped turn this God believing, but not saved girl's life around. Thankful that he is a good sport with a sense of humor (that is a nerf gun, by the way). Thankful that he doesn't get riled very often.  Thankful that he tolerates me and the kids daily--good or bad--just as we tolerate him!

In addition to all those guys. . I am REALLY thankful for a set of stable and wonderful parents, 3 siblings that I love dearly, and great in-laws!!

Psalm 100:4

Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name!

I realize that everyone will be busy with Thanksgiving next Thursday. .but I will have my third and final Thankful Thursday post up early that morning.  If you felt led to share, please know you are welcome to share anytime you have the chance to look in--I have noticed many people have gone back this past week and checked comments! Have a very THANKFUL and BLESSED week!