Gratitude

I have been trying to post off and on for several weeks now and I haven't been able to get into my blog.  There is something about computers and technology that is so incredibly irritating to me.  Register your IP?  What is that???? Anyway, to make a long story short, I still don't know what is wrong.  I pulled it up on Google Chrome (again I have no idea) and it works.  Maybe.  We will see if it actually posts.  I need to find a faster way to put pictures up or connect it to my phone or something.  I am very slow at all of this.  I wish it was all as easy as just typing.  I am sure that if I let my kids at the computer, they could probably figure it out so much faster.  But needless to say, I finally got the screen that allows you to post. YAY!!!
     Life has been so sweet the past few weeks.  I had my Remicade on the 18th.  While I am so grateful for the medicine, I have such a hard time before and after my infusion.  A very dear friend drove me and sat with me for the two hours I was hooked up to my IV.  That is one thing that I cherish about those times every 6 weeks, is the time with my husband, my brother or a sweet friend who is kind enough to drive me to and from the appointment.  The medicine makes me to tired and sick to my stomach to drive.  It is two hours of uninterrupted time which is precious in the world today!  I came home and went to bed and another sweet friend brought dinner and sat with me for awhile.  Dealing with my disease has taught me a lot about humility and allowing others in, it has also shown me how very prideful I can be.  The Lord is definitely working on my heart and on my mind.  "So that I may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."  I can't say that I am always happy about it, but I choose to be grateful for it.  The next day my kids played in a 3 v 3 tournament in Conway.  I was able to ride in the truck and sit in the heated seats to watch some of the games.  I love watching my kids play ball.  They are ferocious on the field and it makes me laugh to watch them.  Not laugh in a bad way, but I love their passion.  Between my four older ones, they display their tenacity differently, but it is all precious.  My amazing husband was able to coach Austin and Muluken's team while Gifte's coach was coaching she and Kailyn's team.  The boys got first place in their age group and the girls got second place in theirs.  It was awesome to see Jared get so excited.  He always picks on me because I get emotionally involved in whatever game we might be playing. Lots of encouragement and some "UHHHHHHHSSSSSSS"  You know the kind of UUUHHHH that slides out of your mouth when you are frustrated with a mistake or a bad call or any number of other things that might not go your way???  Well, I am pretty sure that my calm, laid back husband said a lot of UUUHHHHSSSS and pulled his hair a few times in the middle of the games, but he also was a tremendous encouragement to the 4 boys and 2 girls that made up the winning team.   That day it wasn't just the kids that I was proud of,  I was and am incredibly proud of my man.  He stepped way out of his comfort zone and I watched him figure out that he could do it.  He has what it takes to encourage and lead even when he was so unsure of himself or what he was doing.  He was able to stand up to some attitudes and fussing between the kids and encourage them to keep their focus.  I love him and love to see him find new things that he is good at.  He was giddy when he got home with my smelly kids that night.  Such sweet memories!  I will post some pictures as soon as I figure out how.        We went to a memorial service on Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  What an amazing legacy this man left.  He was an older man who knew and loved the Lord.  Every story told, every song they sang characterized how he loved his Savior.  I am sad for his family as they are grieving his loss but I know he is with his heavenly father.  What a legacy he left!  It made me wonder what kind of legacy I would leave?  What kind Jared would?  What kind of legacy will our children leave?  I realized that it is something that I don't think we think enough about these days because we live like we are guaranteed tomorrow.  It has given me a lot to ponder on.
        Thanksgiving was wonderful.  We had Jared's family at our house and we laughed like we haven't laughed in a long time.  Dinner was delicious and there was a lot of it.  Everyone pitched in by bringing something and Austin made beautiful pies. It was a sweet time!  I am so grateful for family and for friends.  I am thankful for so much and yet in reality I realize that I am not thankful enough.  The Community Thanksgiving Service pointed that fact out to me.  Pastor Anthony talked about the 10 lepers who were healed.  Completely healed and able to return to their homes and their lives and of those 10 only one returned to say Thank You!  Only 1!  I am ashamed to say that more often then not I live as one of those 9.  I fail to see the blessings that God has surrounded me with in the good times and in the bad.  How can I only say thank you for the good and not for the bad?  I realized listening to him preach that sometimes I will pray and pray and pray for things that aren't answered immediately, and when they are finally answered I don't even see it, remember it or acknowledge it as an answer to pray.  I long for a grateful heart in all circumstances good or bad. I desire for our hearts to be a reflection of the heart of Christ.