Yesterday was a day spent giving thanks by many around our nation. We gathered around tables, booths, or bars, and spent time with others consuming near fatal amounts of turkey, and trimmings. Yesterday was a day set aside by our forefathers as a time to look back and remember all that God has done for us.
The other night I was sitting at our church’s thanksgiving eve service by myself all alone in the back row, feeling bad for myself. I was listening to person after person share how God had healed them and helped them in the last year, and I was having a hard time just thinking about how God chose to take my Dad home and not heal him. I’ll be honest, it was hard. Really hard.
But in the midst of it all, I started to tune out those who were speaking and I began a list in my journal of the things I’m thankful for. Here’s what I am thankful for in 2008…
- My wife
- My wife
- My wife
- My Kids
- My Family
- God providing for all of our needs
- For God clearly moving us when we need to be moved, and settling us when we need to settle
- For my friends
- For God chasing me
- For the trials
- For my Dad’s Legacy
- For my Mom
- For my WIFE
- For God teaching me and changing me
- For Tears
- For a great group of people that I get to serve alongside of
- For my life
There is so much to be thankful for. It is really easy to be negative though isn’t it? Just to look at the downside… But I’m grateful for so much! What about you? What are you thankful for?
~Peter
3 Comments
Aww Peter! During the service, Tori and I noticed how difficult it was for you, to listen to all the other stories being shared, and not think of your father. Just remember that every single member of the church, and the youth group especially, and we are extremely grateful to have such a great guy like you there with us. We love you Peter!
I don’t even know where to start. Peter I am thankful for you and Tiffany as well. You are great friends and I truly thank God for you guys everyday. I am thankful for the insanity that is my family, they may be crazy and difficult to live with but they are my family. I am thankful for the kids who are hard to love. I am thankful for the ones who make it easy. I am thankful for the quiet/lonely times and I am also thankful to be surrounded by people who love me. I am thankful that there is grace. I am thankful for today. Thanks for this post Peter!
Always thankful for you Peter John. Sorry that this Thanksgiving was hard… it was hard here too. I’ve been reading about grief and what a hard job it is to work through. It is likened to labor.