The first of a few Thanksgiving journals…
Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. I just love that we have a national holiday focused on being thankful. I love spending time with family and friends. I love the food! I’m not sure why I only eat sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving considering how much I enjoy them!
This Thanksgiving we are very thankful that Carmen is doing so well. So many times this summer we did not think Carmen would make it through the day or week. Several times Carmen’s pediatrician asked to be paged if Carmen passed away over the weekend.
We don’t know how many more Thanksgivings Carmen has so this one is bittersweet. We are so thankful she is here with us and doing so well. But I do wonder if this will be her last Thanksgiving. Only God knows. Psalms 139:16, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”
Here is a recent picture of Carmen. Doesn’t she look lovely in yellow?! Oh to have beautiful golden skin!
Just wanted to let you know that I am thinking about you. That picture of Carmen is very beautiful. She looks very peaceful and content :]
I am thankful for family: For children who are following God and striving to live upright lives!
For grandchildren who are the light of our lives!
For material blessings – more than we deserve!
For the privilege of living in a country that allows us freedom.
For God’s goodness to us everyday we wake up and are alive.
For Godly parents who prayed over us our entire lives and sacrificed so that we would never be without things that we needed.
Carmen is so beautiful, thank you for sharing your beautiful family with all of us. Your right, Carmen does look beautiful in yellow, but I think she looks beautiful in what ever she is wearing. God bless you and your family.
I am thankful that God sent His Son to die for us. Thankful, that he made provision for us to become pure through His shed blood. Thankful for family, friends and a church that I can worship and praise God with all my heart. Thankful for the many underserved blessings. Thankful for my children and grandchildren. Thankful that even though trials come, God can be glorified.
She DOES look beautiful. I’m so thankful I can read your encouraging blog and I’m praying your Thanksgiving week is awesome. God bless you!
She’s absolutely beautiful!! Please give her a (((HUG))) for me. I am so thankful she is doing well too. I pray for her continued strength. Nicki (Angel Riley’s Mommy)
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/princessrileybear
I can’t begin to list all the things that I have to be thankful for. Here’s a few:
1.Being brought up in a Christian home
2.Being chosen to be God’s adopted child
3.Many, many blessings from being God’s child
4.Four wonderful children
5.Three beautiful grandchildren
6.Being back in Lufkin with 3 sons (2 living with me)
7.A great job working with profoundly retarded adults who are such a joy to know
8. Great co-workers who are always bringing good food (Today Robin brought vegetable beef soup and Norma brought Italian creme cake..Yum!!)
9. A very close and supportive extended family (4 sisters and a sister-in-law (my brother passed away 10 years ago) and their families)
10. Good health
11. A very nice new home
12. A great church
13. Friends
14. Etc., etc., etc., etc., etc., etc.
This Thanksgiving is so very special. We’ve never had this one before. And, it amazes me that time goes on and on and on. Growing up in the ’60s, I never dreamed that anyone my age would be this age. Do you know what I mean? Thanking the King of Kings and Lord of Lords for knowing this would happen and for pulling me into His presence. I’m so thankful for His forgiveness and His endurance. I’m thankful to witness the Love of Christ in your family and through you all. I’m truly thankful for the blessings of my children, grandchildren, family, friends and brothers and sisters in Christ. And, I’m so thankful for the plans God has going forward. He’s enormous, beyond understanding. How wonderful…..
Dearest Lana, Dave, Lauren and Carmen,
I have been following your journey vai Adoption.om and your blog, but this is my very first time posting on your blog.
First I am in awe of your amazing faith in Jesus Christ and I thank God for you everyday. As a Christian, I believe that God has a perfect plan for each one of us and your life is a true testament of this.
As a daughter of loving Christian family His Plan becomes evident in every aspect of my life.
Of course I have no way of even imagining what it is like to have a terminally ill child, but I do have a Sweet Momma who is ill and has been ill for the last 10 or so years of which this week marks her fifth year of having to be placed in a nursing facility because of her medical needs.
The holidays are certainly bittersweet, but I have learned to thank God no matter what. I remember sitting at the dinner table one Thanksgivng day and my younger brother being so sad about Momma’s s illness. As we bowed our head to pray we wnt around the table each saying things that we were thankful for. It suddenly occured to me that I despite everything else was thankful that we did have a situation. It may not be ideal or a situation we would have chosen, but knowing we have an Awesome God in control of things gives us every reason to be thankful.
So I am thankful that we do have a situation to be thankful for.
As far as wondering if this will be the last holiday we have with a loved one, none of us are guarenteed a tomorrow here on earth so I try to focus on today and the promise of eternal life.
I am thankful that God blessed me with the very best and that I do have both my parents who are well into their 80s and a wonderful brother as well as family.
EZ
Carmen is so precious (she looks very much like my three year old daughter). My heart hurts for your family and especially for Carmen. Thank you for sharing your story and for touching my life and so many others.
I am thankful for so many things.
I am so thankful for my two beautiful daughters. I waited so long for them.
I am thankful for a merciful and patient God.
I am thankful I was raised in a Christian home.
I am thankful for my job, my home, my health, that gas is under two bucks again, and for God sending His Son so that I might have eternal life.
Did I mention that I am thankful for my daughters?
Have a blessed Thanksgiving. You are always in my daily prayers.
God bless.
Debbie