Thanks. Giving.

It's a square with a number on it. It's a date. Funny how those little numbers hold such significance. This is one that will live with our family forever. The date our lives drastically changed.

As my husband said in his post, ironic that the first anniversary of learning Elijah's condition and fatal prognosis would occur on Thanksgiving. Thanks. Giving.

It would be easy to write about all our trials, tears, loss, and pain in the last 366 days. I'm choosing today, however, to focus on Thanks. And Giving.

In the midst of a tough year, I have so much to be thankful for. I have a God who has never left my side. Not once. He, instead, has made himself abundantly present in big and small ways. He has lavished us with grace, peace and joy that goes beyond human understanding, and can only come from Him...clinging desperately to Him. He has blessed me with a husband who loves me completely...good, bad, or otherwise...he has been steadfast in his love and care for our family. God has blessed me with two healthy, rambunctious children who are the "shine of my heart" as Maggie likes to say. Without these two gifts, my life would be incredibly empty and the pain so much more consuming. God has blessed me with family and friends who carried our family, no questions asked, through good and bad days. He allowed our family the goodness of our first family vacation, a warm safe home, food on our table, vehicles that work. He has given me new eyes to see what is truly important in this life....and it has absolutely nothing to do with status, popularity, finances, perfection, clothing size or things. It is about giving.

Giving our hearts, time, talents, love and money to Him, to further His kingdom, help His people. Giving of ourselves to those around us and intentionally being present to attend to their needs...and the needs of those in desperate situations in faraway places we may never see. Although, I hope he allows me to see them, to physically touch lives, not just by sending money, but by giving hugs, giving food, giving basic necessities.

God is so good! He has and IS using all things for good in our family. Despite the dark and emotionally raw days, He is good. And I am thankful. Thankful for the refining fire. Thankful for drastic change through trials. Thankful that even when I get it all wrong, He can still use me.

We've got a lot of growing yet to do. I'm anxious to see where He leads our family this year. It kind of makes me think of a new favorite quote from a new favorite show: Duck Dynasty...."you pay for the whole seat, but you only need the edge." Hold on friends, it's gonna be a an exciting year.