Walking in the Shadows

I can hardly believe it is Thanksgiving week! I love Thanksgiving, I believe it just may be my favorite holiday of the year. It is the one holiday that man has yet to ruin with a lot of stuff and stress (unless you count Black Friday which seems to be Black Thursday this year, boo). It is a special time, set aside, simply to be thankful. Last year we begin a Thankful Tree one week before Thanksgiving Day. Every day, each member of the family wrote on a leaf what they were thankful for that day. So, we continued the tradition this year and what a blessed tradition it has become. Addison has reminded me every night "don't forget the leaves" and so after Family Altar we each write down what we are thankful for that day. The Lord has been so kind to me personally, as well as to our family, this little exercise seems so small, but what a blessing it is to take time to be thankful! It is amazing how easy it is to be thankful even when life is in chaos or turmoil, we h

I've been praying for pain, I know it sounds crazy, but I've been in pain a while now and still haven't been able to walk through the pain with joy. So, I've been praying for it, praying for it to continue while those who love me pray for it to cease. Don't get me wrong, I want to feel relief, I want to be able to run with my kids, clean my house, kneel in prayer, and weed my garden without having to take a pain pill, truly I do. But more than that I want joy! Real, true, joy. I am a happy person, the Lord has given me so much, I have more to be thankful for then I have to lament. I also have joy, true joy, until the pain comes. Then something happens, it's like I can't control the way I am feeling and just lash out and find myself walking around in a pile of self pity. That is NOT joy. I have written in the past about my weakness and HIS strength, but it is a lesson hard learned and I believe joy goes right along with resting in HIS strength. I have