Thursdays Thankful Thirteen (2)

Here is this week's installment of my thankful thirteen list-

1. For all of the help God has provided us from others. Monday a friend's 18yo son came over and broke up the steps to our back door.Tuesday he came over and helped my dad build a new back stoop/deck (4x8) out of wood. This is stuff Dan can't do right now but needed to be done. Our steps were falling apart.

2. The Lord constantly providing for us. I know I mentioned this last week, but another example of that provision happened Sunday and I had to be thankful again. After paying this months bills we have only half a house payment's worth of money left in the bank. With Dan injured and out of work we have no income. While that might seem pretty dismal, God knows what he is doing. At church Sunday we were given some money anonymously. It isn't everything we need but it was a small token of God reminding us that He is in control and has things taken care of.

3. I am thankful that the kids have such great grandparents who willingly invest their time into their grandkids. My dad and step-mom took Devorah for two nights. My step-mom took her to an amusement park on Tuesday and they took her to a 4th of July party on Wednesday.

4. It wouldn't be a thankful list in the first week of July without being thankful for the freedom God has supplied to me here in America. With all the problems that the U.S. has, it is still one of the most free countries out there.

5. I am thankful for all those Christians who aren't free to worship God in their countries yet risk their lives to do so anyway. If it wasn't for their strong faith there would not be a lot of work going on in some of the worst countries.

6. The men and women who fight for our country to keep it safe. Contrary to what some people like to claim, I think it is a real show of love for your country to go and serve in the military.

7. Even when I have had a rough day with the kids, God still manages to instill a sense of peace within me- if I stop yelling so loud and getting so upset that I completely drowned it out. His peace is there for us but He isn't going to give it to us by shouting over us to get us to see it.

8. I am very thankful for water. We don't realize what a blessing it is to have water that is drinkable. In the heat like we have been having lately, I really appreciate the ability to go to my fridge and get some cold water to drink.

9. I am grateful for having a husband that keeps thinking of me. Today he brought a lemon donut home for me because he knows they are my favorites.

10. I am thankful for six healthy children. None of my children have ever been seriously sick or injured in any way (except the minor hairline fractures that both Tim and Daniel each had as toddlers). None of them have had any life threatening deals to go through.

11. I am so grateful that God chooses to have a relationship with us. God does not *need* us, He wants us. He chose to make us so that He could have a relationship with us. He wants to spend time with us, wants to talk with us and hear our lives. We never have to worry that God is just being polite- He listens because He wants to.

12. Rest- not that I get enough of that! I am thankful that God has designed us to need a quiet time, a time where we just have to sit back and take a few minutes to be still. Now I don't do this enough and I am sure most everyone else doesn't either, but we were just not designed to be going at it full strength 24/7.

13. I am thankful for the good weather we have had this week as Dan, my dad, and our friend's son have worked on our back porch. While we need the rain, it is nice that they were able to get the job (almost) complete without the weather getting in the way. Just a few more boards and the job will be complete.