Did You Remember to Say Thank You?

"What if you woke up today with only what you had thanked God for yesterday?"  

I read this post on Facebook today and quickly searched Google to see if perhaps these words were lyrics from a song.  I don't know if they originated with a blogger's post in August of 2010, or if she had copied them from another source.  What I do know is this, these words stopped me in my tracks.

I stopped and thanked God for the TWO eastern bluebirds I saw today.  Take heart - spring is coming!!!  As you know, I believe the eastern bluebird to be God's reminder to me of the many blessings in my life.  And each time I see a bluebird, I anticipate a special blessing for the day.  Today's sighting has me very excited!!

 The last few days have been joyous; there will be a wedding later this summer and my prayers have indeed been prayers of thanksgiving.  BUT, what about the days before the thirteenth of February?  Was I thanking God for the blessings in my life or was I pleading with him to step in and fix the problems in my life?  I honestly can't tell you.

At one time in my life, I kept a prayer journal.  I'm wondering if I should start a new prayer journal.  In the past few years, I have prayed often for healing.  My father was diagnosed with cancer and his prognosis was not good. I prayed for healing, physical healing, and so did many others.  At times, he responded to chemotherapy and radiation.  I saw marked improvement and felt my prayers were being answered.  However, his body eventually failed him.  I did not receive the answer for which I had longed.  

On the other hand, I did see my prayers answered.  I saw a complete spiritual healing.  I watched as a man who had been bitter and angry, softened his heart.  In spite of what he said, I always felt like my dad knew the Truth and accepted the existence of God.  His anger was not directed toward God, though sometimes he claimed it was; my dad's anger was directed at the church, at organized religion, and at the people who represented the church. 

I always wondered how a man could deny the existence of God in one breath and sing "Amazing Grace" or "How Great Thou Art" or my favorite, "Were You There?" with such emotion.  I knew it wasn't possible.  An atheist denies the existence of God.  They would never sing songs praising a God they didn't believe in.  

Dad's Baptismal Certificate

A cousin who had never heard my dad's bitter diatribes came to see him and told him she was going to pray with him and over him until he felt the Holy Spirit.  That had been my prayer for almost forty years, it had been his mother's prayer from the time he was a young teen until the day she died.  Countless others had prayed. 

Our prayers were answered.  And in the next two months, he was indeed a changed man.  Unbelievably so.  It was at this same time, his cancer seemed to be responding to treatment and he was improving.  Suddenly and unexpectedly, a heart attack took him from us.  At the time, I was shocked, but not unhappy.  Not only was he free from the pain he had endured and would certainly have endured again, he was headed to Heaven.  My biggest fear had been that he would not be in Heaven to greet me when the time came.  

The prayer for physical healing was not answered.  God had a better plan.  He answered the prayer that had been offered up for the last fifty-five years on my father's behalf!

Am I thankful?  Yes, I am!  Do I thank God often?  Yes, I do.  Do I thank God often enough?  No, I don't!  

Recently, I saw another post of Facebook.  I am unable to find it, but this is the gist, "God knows the prayers on your heart, even when you can't find the words to voice them."  

Sometimes, it just hurts too much.  Sometimes, we are distracted by life's interruptions.  

Take time, make time.  Thank God for all the blessings in your life.  

Blessings to you and yours,

Deb