Thankful for Family

Thirty-eight years ago, I spent the 4th of July in the hospital . Those were ancient days when Daddies were not allowed past the waiting room doors, and Mommies were medicated into oblivion. Therefore Daddy and big brother, three year old Scott, were at the 4th of July parade at the moment baby brother Todd made his grand entrance onto life's stage. For the record, I tried really hard to make it through labor without medication. When my contractions began coming very close together, the nurses urged me to take "just a little something to take the edge off." In a moment of weakness, I agreed, and it's the last thing I remember until waking up after the delivery.

Ah well, we have had lots and lots of precious moments over the past nearly four decades to make up for it. I am thankful for every one of those moments - and all the ones in between. My only regret is not cherishing them just a bit more, for time rushes by at break-neck speed and before you know it the baby has little ones of his own.

My heart is focused on family this 4th of July:

- I am thankful:

- for the Godly heritage passed down by my parents and my husband's parents. They have given us treasure that cannot be measured in earthly terms. It is more precious than gold.

- for our three children, and for our beautiful daughters-in-law. Each is an answer to prayer - our prayers and the prayers of their grandparents.

- for seven grandchildren who came wrapped in joy and have blessed our lives a thousand times over.

- for albums filled to the brim with memories of time spent together

- for the times when we laughed until tears rolled down our cheeks and for the times when we clung to each other as tears of a different nature mingled together.

- for a love that has sustained us - a love for one another that is grounded in the love of a heavenly Father who has blessed us beyond measure.

- for shared faith

- for a shared hope

- for knowing that this life is only the beginning - we have an eternal future together

- for time spent listening to Great-grandpa tell stories about D-Day and WWII; and Grandpa telling stories of his childhood adventures with his four brothers ("Tell us the one about your brother falling on the ice and getting a huge goose egg on his forehead Papa.")

- teaching granddaughters to knit

- looking at old family pictures with Great-Grandma - looking into the faces of family that lived so long ago, hearing their stories.

Thank You Father. You give good gifts.

Visit Ann to share more gifts.



Blessings,
Linda