Giving Thanks

Published by christi on July 25, 2019July 25, 2019

Thanksgiving (not the holiday) restores my perspective, makes me aware of hope, centers me.

The last ten days has included the white-knuckle exhilaration of the switchbacks of the Beartooth Highway, the breathless awe of the view over the windy, wildflower-laden tundra above the tree line, the sad finality of the playing of “Taps,” the warm solidity of hugs from all six of our children and nearly all their spouses and grandchildren, the wistful consciousness of the rich heritage from generations past, the heart-wrenching tearfulness of good-byes to both the living and the dead.

How I thank God for a reliable car that He provided at no charge when our previous one was wrecked!

Thank You, God, for your majesty revealed in the endless vistas at the top of the pass. Thank You, too for the bright yellow and the purple ground-hugging blossoms that did not mind the wind nor the cold. Thank You for my dear father-in-law whose service to our country spanned more than the two wars he fought, but continued as a legacy of love for freedom. Thank You for getting so many family members together. Thank You for the laughter and the tears. Thank You for the discussions of whether there will be dishes to wash in heaven, and what we might eat there, Thank You that You have made it possible for us to live forever with You.

Thank You that the awareness of the limits of life has prompted some deep considerations about how to walk in my calling and design in the time I have left…however much that might be. Thank You that I do not have to figure it out, or have a perfect plan for it. I only have to keep holding on to You, listening for Your voice, taking time to be quiet so I can hear it…

Thank You that none of this is about me! You have made me and planned my days for Your pleasure and to make Yourself known through my life, and my death. Amen.

“… it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death.”

Philippians 1:20

Christi