While the "official" day of Thanksgiving is now past, my heart is continually bubbling over with praise and thanksgiving to the One who is more precious than gold to me. If you might allow, I would like to share a bit of my life and proclaim His goodness.

I have been very sick this whole month, battling 2 back to back severe cases of diverticulitis, being flooded with combinations of strong medications leaving me extremely weak and fatigued, as well as enduring other strange and dehibilitating side effects. My husband had to take me to the emergency room on 2 separate occassions this week, while they tried to figure out what is causing these many problems. After much testing, including CT scans again, etc., they are now treating me for a bacteria that is commonly a result of certain combinations of medications and of course, prescribed yet another medication for it. My body has been in such a state of weakness it has been impossible to do anything more than raise my head off my pillow at times. What a terrible shape to be in, with the holdays coming and not being able to perform the normal functions that sometimes only a wife and mother can bring together, you say? What a terrible thing my family was not able to celebrate Thanksgiving as we normally do with all the turkey and related festivities? How awful I can barely rise from my bed of rest on such a holiday?

Well, I say, not terrible in the least, not awful, not depressing, not any of those things most would think. On the contrary, this Thanksgiving season has been the biggest and most blessed occassion for me; it has been my best Thanksgiving ever! For through all these valleys in which the Lord has seen fit to lead me, I have seen a side to Him that is most precious and lovely to my heart, and one which I would not trade for all the gold in the world. I have seen Him as my gentle Shepherd, gently leading me, giving such peace and comfort as is humanly unimagineable. I have seen myself to be his little lamb, feeble, frail, weak, and not able to even hold His word in my hand to read; yet He comes to me in my pain and affliction and whispers sweet peace and unbelievable comfort to my soul. He is bringing me through fires and high waters and deep valleys to rub off my improper heart longings, my misplaced worship, my affection for self, my doubting, my weak faith, my unloyal and wondering heart, my view of the comforts of this life. And may I say with all my heart, the refiner's fire is the most blessed and comforting place to be! From it, praises and utter thanksgiving have been drawn from my wicked heart. How strange, you say, to be in such a sad shape and yet proclaim this to be the best Thanksgiving ever? Yes, it does appear strange and contradictory to human reasoning, but I can now understand a little more of what caused Paul to be able to sing in his chains and to rejoice in his afflictions. The God of all comforts does not fail. He does not leave us alone in the darkness and the deep valley. He gently comes along side, holding us close, pulling our aching and wounded hearts to his bosom, bearing us over the rough and rocky ground that we could never traverse ourselves in our weakness and frailty. He proves Himself to be all that He has promised and more than we have ever known Him to be. He gives us an even closer glimpse of His face, a deeper knowledge of His character, and a stronger faith than we've ever had.

How could that be sorrowful or depressing or sad! No, it is the most wonderful thing, and one I wouldn't trade for all the world. Out of the overflow of praise and thanksgiving to Him, I wanted to share with you all. Let us praise and adore Him, our gentle Shepherd, our Redeemer, our Strength and Salvation! Let us come before His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise! Let us be thankful unto Him and bless His name, for He is worthy.

Let him who is thirsty come to clear water;
let him who is hungry come by and eat;
for money can't buy this cool living water,
for this milk and honey so sweet.

Praise be to Jesus, the sweet Rose of Sharon,
praise be to Christ the Redeemer of men,
praise to the King who is reigning forever;
the Hope of the ages, my Master and Friend.

Then shall light break forth into morning
bringing beauty for ashes, strength for the days,
and hearts that were heavy shall stand in His presence,
wrapped in a garment of praise.

Praise be to Jesus, the sweet Rose of Sharon,
praise be to Christ the Redeemer of men,
praise to the King who is reigning forever;
the Hope of the ages, my Master and Friend.