It just so happens that today is Thanksgiving Day... but that has nothing to do with my heart full of gratefulness. The trials the Lord is leading me through is responsible for that. Over the last few weeks we have really come to appriciate the "daily bread" of the Lord’s prayer. As we’ve learned to do without so many things (some things we thought we "needed") because of lack of work and therefore lack of finances, we have developed a sincere gratefulness for the things we have that we’ve often taken for granted. It has been hard. It’s hard to focus on the good and not complain about our misfortunes. Some days have been worse than others as I’d wallow in self-pity and make my husband feel bad for not providing for our wants. That’s the ugly truth. The beautiful truth is that as I repent before my Lord for not trusting Him, he has been faithful to teach me how to overcome, to walk with me while I overcome, to weep with me and rejoice with me as I overcome.

These days I don’t sit down to a meal without feeling thankful for the food in front of me. It’s amazing that we have food on the table, so much good food. I realized that not once in my twenty-eight and a half years have I ever had to suffer hunger. Not once!  I have always had plenty of food available to me.

I don’t shower or soak in a hot bath without the realization that not only am I supremely blessed to have an abundance of clean running water right there at any faucet in the house, but a million times more so knowing I can enjoy the luxury of hot running water to soothe my aching, pregnant body... any time I want.

In twenty-eight and a half years have I have always had a roof over my head, a place to call home. Every single day. I have always had the option to come in out of the cold, rain or snow. I have always had people in my life that loved me, watched out for me, always had someone I could talk to, could call on for help.

I know not everyone can say these things... It doesn’t make them any less loved by Yahweh...I’m just learning to see and be thankful for what he’s given me. I feel I should point out that I was not raised in a wealthy family, but rather a "poor" one by American standards. About like the life I’m living now. One rich in all the right kinds of things.

My family is healthy. We enjoy complete health 99% of the time and our bodies function as they should. The pregnancy is going well and the GD isn’t so bad I can’t control it with diet. I haven’t even had as much trouble with kidney stones as with my previous four pregnancies.  I've had five totally problem-free births, one for every pregnancy I've had.  That's something.

We are all physically able to work... That’s such a blessing. There’s a lot to be done on the homestead and we can "work quietly with our hands." We’ve actually saved a lot of money by getting more creative with the things available to us rather than going out and buying new or used items. Our garden cart finally gave out on us and after a few experiments Bobby was able to combine it with an old broken wheel barrow that came with this place and make it into something I could use in the barn and garden. Instead of buying this or that part for hooking up our woodstove, we asked around and were able to piece it all together for free. We’ve made excellent (I think) use of our local clothes closet not only for clothing but also home decorating and things. I got some flannel and corduroy clothes there a couple weeks ago and have been cutting them up and making a small quilt for Royal. I’m getting more done by focusing on the things I can do instead of pouting about the things I don’t have money to do, and it’s getting done in a more unique and creative fashion. I made some doors for the bathroom closet out of old boards ("rustic") but was waiting on money for hinges to hang them. The next day the kids and I applied ourselves to something else, something that didn’t cost money - cleaning up the yard - and found some bi-fold doors rotting away... with just enough only slightly-rusty hinges for my project. Some Liquid Wrench and they were in working order again, screws and all.

Anyway... about the daily bread. It’s overwhelming at times. How I’ve longed for Bobby to be able to find a steady job with a regular income... something I know I could count on... ha ha. Where am I putting my trust then, huh? Bobby has applied just about everywhere and jobs are so scarce. I still wouldn’t mind if the Lord blessed us that way, but I’m learning maybe there are even greater blessings to be had with this daily bread thing. We know that when Bobby gets a day’s worth of work it was given directly us from Yahweh’s hand and we are so grateful. We see how perfect His timing is when just enough comes just in time for the next bill or the next need. We see how perfect His grace and love when He blesses us through friends and strangers in a multitude of ways... loaning us a vehicle, giving us $20 for gas, coming to visit us when we’re house-bound, calling Bobby to do an odd job and paying him though they know he’d do it for free...

We’ve had an extra couple blessings this week. We have another Honda Accord, given us by a friend, that’s been dead in the drive for several months, awaiting diagnosis and repair. We posted it on craigslist and had a buyer within hours. Guy’s suppose to come by tomorrow.   Bobby was blessed to work with an awesome brother the last three days. (It was weird to have him gone for 12 hours, 3 days in a row, when he’s been home so much!) We didn’t even know what he would be paid per hour, but were just grateful for the work. He got paid yesterday and it was almost twice what we had in mind. It was so wonderful. And he wants to continue to use Bobby on this project, and again on the next. He’ll have some work over the next week or two. Then Yahweh will provide something else.

So... yeah. I’m thankful today.