thursday...a good day to be thankful.

i'm sorry i haven't blogged much in the past week + some....i've had thoughts that i've wanted to share...but haven't taken the time to type them out. seems like wanting to sleep has taken precendence over cutting on the old computer and typing (though i've been told if i had a mac i would never cut it off...that their nature is to work better if they are never cut off. glad i'm not a mac. i need to be cut off.) so...here's hoping the thoughts will stick around long enough to get typed...

what am i thankful for today? goodness. i'm thankful that death has lost its sting - that death has been swallowed up in victory. i don't fully understand that promise....but it gives me hope in the midst of sadness and tragedy....it surely doesn't make loss through death hurt any less here on earth...but it's amazing to know that our God has victory over death -- the death of babies we've not met...the death of little ones who (in our finite minds) had so much life yet to be lived...death as the result of tragedy or disease...death as the result of desperation...death as the result of being old and bodies wearing out. death is not the end of life. it's just not. it may be the end of life as we know it - but for those who know God (and oh, i hope you know Him - truly know Him...not just about Him...and not just what you were taught as a child...but HIM...His nature and His kindness...His grace...His love...His patience....His delight...His justice...) there's so much more life - Life that is truly life! - that is ours to be lived and enjoyed and experienced for all of eternity (boggles my mind.). i don't "like" death....but i don't mind it either...and when i really think about it, i get a little envious of those who don't have to deal with this earth anymore. one day we will be complete...fully as God intends us to be...and if it takes dying to get to that point, i'm ok with that (but i still miss the littles ones i never got to meet...and my hurt hearts tremendously for the parents dealing with the loss of toddlers....and i can't stand the thought of a young adult having to handle all the funeral preparations for his mother...)

sooooo....that's not where i thought this blog entry was heading when i started....but that's what i'm thankful for - that our God is VICTORIOUS over death. And is with WITH us in death...

what else am i thankful for?

• sonic ice
• yaya & grandaddy's grace & peace & understanding & generosity
• clean clothes
• steak dinners
• sharing
• getting to see lauren!
• money for new black flip floppish shoes
• 11.11.11
• good music
• the TA board that works so hard
• amazima bracelet
• friends who know me & know what i like (and don't like)
• signs on my front door full of encouragement and love
• watching carey & eli play chess
• caroline still doesn't think she wants to learn to read (makes me laugh.)

what am i not thankful for?

• whatever "thing" (cat? owl? possom? wildabeast?) that has taken 2 of our chickens. not thankful.
• mean people
• rush/hurry