It’s hard to believe how quickly time flies. Today marks the fourth anniversary of this blog. I started it on a crisp Thanksgiving Day at the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri in 2009, feeling extremely grateful for everything and everyone around me. Not much has changed on that front, except that life just keeps getting better and fuller with every passing day and year.
These four years have brought disease and healing, and they have given us new family members, including Jenny’s boyfriend Zach, our beautiful daughter-in-law Jess and, of course, the new keeper of our hearts, our grandson Noah. We treasure the time with older family members and friends and learn to lean in a little closer when they tell stories that we want to make sure we never forget. Our friends — both old and new — become all the more precious to us as the years pass, and the opportunity to spend time with all those we love is a blessing beyond measure. When you face any kind of serious health issue you learn this fast: It is the presence of those special people that enriches our lives, and everything we have or own pales in comparison to the gift of that time together.
And so we learn to live in gratitude and come to know that “thank you, God” can be the most important and deepest prayer we can ever say. For “thank you, God” means, “I’m paying attention.” It means, “This is not all just about me.” It means, “Everything is gift.” With Noah in our family, we have a fresh and beautiful reminder of the gift of life, a little divine nudge that we should never take any of this for granted, but rather embrace it all with gratitude.
Ask yourself in silence: For what am I grateful today that I couldn’t even have imagined four years ago?
Thank you for the beautiful message, and for so many others that I have read and enjoyed. I don’t always comment, but I want you to know your words are appreciated. You have such a gift, and I am grateful that you share it with us.
May God bless you and your family today and always!
Four years ago I wouldn’t have imagined that I would be so blessed as to be able to take the precious Body of Jesus out to the homebound every week. Thanks be to God!
Judy O
Thank you, Steve, today and every day, for your meditations. In reading today’s I am reminded of a song of yours, “You are a Gift” and now it is going to be humming in my head the rest of the day.
Sorry about that bit of “ear candy” today, JL. Thank you for all you have done and given to me. Never forget what encouraging a young person may mean…
Thank you, Judy, for your kind words and for your ministry of taking Jesus to others. You serve God and all of us when you do that simple but significant act of grace.
Steve
The past four years we have been blessed with a daughter in law, a grandson and our first annual family reunion, at Lake of the Ozarks! That was quite an accomplishment, something my parents would have enjoyed. My large family, 50 of us, gave thanks for each other and for our parents who gave us the gift of faith. Blessings this Thanksgiving Day to you and your family. Thank you, Steve, for all you do to enlighten us and spread God’s word.
Lord, I am so grateful for the gift of life and the beautiful earth and family that I have surrounding me. I am thankful for good friends who seem to always be there when I need them. I am so grateful for my talents that allow me to share myself with others. Thank you for the gift of healing. My human brain can never truly express the gratitude of my life. Thank you .
Steve, this picture of Noah and your beautiful words bring tears to my eyes! There are no words to express the understanding of both in my heart. Thank you for the gift of your friendship and mentoring, your words that have directed me spiritually and have inspired me. God has gifted you beyond measure and all of us privileged to be on the receiving end of those gifts have been blessed.
I wish you and your beautiful family a most Happy Thanksgiving.
God bless you always,
Kathleen