Gratitude

As a reflection of yesterday's post, I don't want to sound like I am ungrateful for the blessings in my life. I am well aware of how God has continually provided for my needs. I stil have "wants" though. They are part of what keeps me going. This may sound weird (especially in light of my last post) but I am thankful for the hard times I have encountered in my life. I most certainly would be a completely different person had my parents never divorced and if I had not gone through other hard times. I am not inclined to find some grand purpose or reason for every bad thing that happens, because quite frankly, I don't believe that there is a known purpose to everything that happens. I am inclined however, to try to take the hard or unwanted situation and turn it into a growing and learning experience. I believe that this is what God does as well. In his power He is able and willing to turn an evil in our lives into a time of growth and new understanding about life. This is something that has helped me perservere in hard times.

Here is a song that is quite appropriate for this Thanksgiving Holiday.

Gratitude
Nichole Nordeman

Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessd beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...

But, Jesus, would You please ...