Thankful Thursday-abundant life

Today is Thankful Thursday, and my list of thankfuls begins with my dear husband. My trusted friend, my lover, my hard-working, yet playful partner for life. He is burdened with many thoughts and worries about the farm, feed prices, and milk production, yet he is trusting God and desiring to give his anxieties to the One who can bear them better than we can. May he turn his eyes upon Jesus, and keep them there, even when the cares of this world do become a huge weight on his shoulders.

My next blessing this week is for my youngest son. Tyler has only been a part of the family for 3 months, but he has become firmly entrenched in our hearts and lives. He padded out of his nigh-night earlier than ever this morning, gave me a sleep grin and a "Hi Mama", then proceeded to climp up on my lap, lay in my arms, and I was so blessed by our quiet time together this morning before the older children got up.
My next thankful is for my dear aunt and uncle-I spent the day yesterday traveling 5 hours round trip to spend the day with them at my Grandma's house-they are preparing to head back to Colorado via Mayo Clinic. My Auntie Marlie has had rheumatoid arthritis for most of her adult life, has become severely crippled with the arthritis, but is still a smiley, cheerful, loving woman who loves her family and her Lord. Last year on their Wis trip, they also stopped at Mayo Clinic, and she was diagnosed with a rare form of leukemia. This year, they are hoping to determine how far it has progressed. Praying for it being at a standstill!!!!
I am also thankful for rainy days that encourage us to slow down a bit and find some quiet time to rest and refuel.

I am thankful for God's protection during last weekend's storms-no power for 15 hours, flash floods roaring through our area, dams giving out, yet no loss of life! Praise God!

I am also thankful for our employees-without them, I would not have been in the house this morning to enjoy the rare, quiet side of my littlest son, or be inside when the thunder awoke the sleeping 9 year olds 30 minutes later.

I am blessed by the opportunity to be a wife, mother, friend, daugther, and to have the choice every day to speak life and encouragement to many women who read my words here, or on the email groups.

This morning, my time in the Word was spent dwelling on Jesus' words in John 10 where He speaks of being our Good Shepherd-and how He has come so that we might have life, and have it abundantly. I had to pause for many minutes and meditate upon that phrase-abundant life. We live in the land of abundance, we have abundant food, entertainment, choices, job opportunities, homes, etc, and yet, that is not the abundant He is speaking of. But how easy it is to get caught up in thinking those abundants should make us happy.
I want to strive today to focus on the abundants that we have that are not tangible, that we can't hold in our hand-His peace, His love, His grace, His salvation. Also, family, their love, their support and encouragement. Also, His Word, and how it never fails to amaze me how whenever I read my Bible, I come away with a nugget of truth I can hold onto for the day.
Join others on this Thankful Thursday at Iris' blog. See what other women are thankful for, and enlarge your own world as you contemplate how Good God is, ALL THE TIME!!
Blessings in His Name
Chris