Thursday Thankfulness

 Happy Thursday Thankfulness day!  I don't follow any meme or questionnaire for this...just sharing things that make me smile or that have especially blessed me this week...

I just saw this picture and the post beneath it on Facebook, and it really spoke to me, so I shared it there and of course I wanted to share it here with you, my very special friends in Blogland:

From the Circle of Women on Facebook: 

"You may not always see it, but your presence in this world has left ripples far beyond what you know.
Someone still smiles at a memory you created together, still feels comforted by the kindness you once showed, and still finds courage in the words you spoke.
Someone hums a song that reminds them of you, sees beauty in the world because you pointed it out, and carries your wisdom in their heart.
Someone stands a little taller because you believed in them, walks a little lighter because you were there, and dreams bigger because you told them they could.
You matter more than you realize .. "
( Writer’s Blossoms )
Art : Irene Marino

Here's what I wrote on Facebook after reading that above:

"Oh, I love this, and I hope it is true. I know it is true to me about some other strong and beautiful Christian women that I have known throughout the years. I am so thankful for those who were role models for me when I truly needed them as a young wife, mother, and a Pastor's Wife. Most have already gone on to glory and have by now received their heavenly reward. I hope to see them again someday and tell them how much their lives and witness meant to me."

I thought you would all appreciate these sentiments, as I am certain we each have had those special women in our lives who have been more to us than just a good friend or family member...they are the ones who went out of their way to encourage us when we needed it most,  to lift us up when we had fallen in despair and sorrow, to pick us up and dust us off and help us get back on our feet when we would rather have just given up.  Women who either wrote something beautiful, or sang a song with such depth of spirit and meaning, or spoke in a special women's conference or Bible Study or luncheon...anywhere that women have gathered to be ministered unto...someone who came when the baby just would not stop crying and you were exhausted for lack of sleep and early motherhood blues and not knowing how or what to do to help your baby feel better, a total stranger who came and brought you and your family food and words of encouragement and hope when your child was going through serious illness or surgery, someone who believed in you when everyone else was turning away or pointing their fingers or whispering behind your back because something had gone wrong in your family or life...The one who said, "Just you never mind what those busy bodies are saying...you hold your head up high and keep moving forward, one step at a time. With God, all things are possible."  

Yeah, those special women...or maybe even a parent or Pastor or husband...but primarily I am speaking of women today.  

I'm sure we all have them, and we should thank God for them. I certainly do. And so today I dedicate this post to all those dear women in my life who've been there when I needed them most. They may not even know who they are...they were just doing what they felt led to do at the moment, not knowing they were sent by God to rescue someone who was hurting so much she wished she could just die.  Yep..those women. They are the ones that are wearing a beautiful crown today in heaven. Some may still be here on earth, but the day will come when Jesus will say to them "come forward and receive your crown of righteousness.."

(Click Here for a description of the five heavenly crowns described in the Bible

I guess that picture/post really spoke to me today! I hope it also has blessed you in some way and has got you thinking about who those special people are in your life.  I'm not going to list them because then I'd have to tell a much longer story...but they are in my heart and God knows who they are as well. That's all that matters.

Now, to share a couple of other things I am thankful for today...The last few days I haven't really felt all that well. I have some chronic issues that tend to plague me and keep me from feeling 100% great all the time...mostly having to do with "gut" issues, if you get my drift.  And so the last couple of days were some of those days.  But today I have felt much much better, so good that we went out to lunch with our dear sweet kids, Benton and Rose, to a new restaurant in the city next to us. It is a Mexican Seafood place, and probably you would say why would I go there if I have gut issues? Good question. But their food is not spicy, and it is actually very very good and reasonably priced, (so we had heard, and wanted to try it), and were were not disappointed.

Here's the kids:

And here we are:

and here's the food: Mine: two burritos (one chicken and one beef), rice, and one beef taco:

Theirs:

Hubby's:

It was all very good, and yes, we would go back there again!

This was the sunrise this morning! I am thankful that we didn't have to go anywhere that early!

I posted this on Facebook this morning and said, "Oh Say, can you see, by the dawn's early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?"   

Here's how it looked out over Still Waters Pond:

Psalm 57:9-11

9 "I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to thee among the nations.

10 For thy steadfast love is great to the heavens,

thy faithfulness to the clouds.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

Let thy glory be over all the earth!"