Thankful for 'But God' moments.

A time to reflect, a time to rejoice and a time to be thankful.

On facebook everyone is posting these thankful posts. Each day they are thankful for another thing. Don't get me wrong. I love reading how everyone is so thankful for things. I am especially thankful this year as we have been though a few ups and downs since last Thanksgiving, but through it all God has seen to bless us more abundantly.

I want others to know jut how thankful I am but I did not want to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else. Why is that people become thankful at Thanksgiving? Why not in April or in August? Why are people religious in December but not in March? Why do people love the outdoors in the fall but complain about it immensely in January?

I find people fascinating and perplexing all at the same time. Take my own guys, Mike (my hubby) my sons Adam (17 yrs) & Daniel (15 yrs). They confuse me all the time. They are fickle with their thoughts and their desires. Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not complaining, just observing, I'm sure they could say a lot worse about me! lol They each are so much alike yet so different. Why is that? They all like air-soft, bad B movies, MythBusters and Sons of Guns.

Yet, Adam likes to hibernate in his room for hours. He plays bionicles, works on his air-soft guns, or just sits in the dark, all while listening to praise music on the radio. Daniel can play PlayStation, watch videos on YouTube, or play games with his dad for hours. Mike goes from one thing to to the next. He always has a project brewing or being worked on. He can't sit still for long stretches and gets bored easily with tv and the computer... They all are so much alike but each has their own personality.

I know I'm babbling and I'm sorry. I am thankful for each of my guys. In their own way each of them bless me more then I could have ever imagined. Adam is helpful and attentive to my physical needs, Daniel is helpful and there when I need someone to talk to, Mike is attentive to my emotional needs and is always there to help me solve a situation that I find perplexing.

After 18 years of marriage and years of raising these two boys, I have learned one thing very well. I, in no way shape or form, deserve such a wonderful family.I do not deserve, by any stretch of the imagination, the love God has bestowed upon me and my family. I have done nothing that could come close to deserving it. I am irritable, moody, ungrateful to the help and love my family gives me, selfish more then I care to admit and lain bossy...

I am a sinner though. I admit that. In every microscopic spec of my being I am full of sin. BUT GOD... Now that little two word phrase is awe inspiring to me...

Over this past summer our family went to the Rochester Youth Conference at NorthGate Bible Chapel in Greece, NY. A long time friend of ours was doing the main teaching of this youth conference. His focus was But God. In all His Glory and all His Holiness He loves us. He loves us despite ourselves. Despite what we do, what we get ourselves into and how we keep digging ourselves in deeper and deeper pits of sin... But God... when all else fails and all else seems to have failed us God is still there. IF I have learned anything this past year it is that no matter how horrible life gets, no matter how horrible I have gotten,no matter how bleak life looks God is always there. ALWAYS... A L W A Y S... not sometimes, not occasionally, not most of the time... Always...

Despite ourselves God loves...
Despite the cruelness in the world God loves...
Despite our lack of love for Him God loves...
Despite our failures God loves...


God doesn't love some. He doesn't love those who love Him. He doesn't love just the people who are faithful to Him. He loves ALL... for that I am thankful. Are you?


If you are interested in listening to the Rochester Youth Conference teachings (a 5 part series) here is the link to get them. If you clock on the photo it will launch a window with the links for the teachings.

http://www.northgatebiblechapel.com/#/messages/special-messages