Thankful Thursday, November 11/11/2010

This was our white board for "Thankful Thursday" today.  I have been asking the children to write something they are thankful for (or draw a picture) each Thursday.  What am I thankful for today? A free and safe country.  I know that it's not safe everywhere, but in general, I meant a protected country without war going on here.  I am thankful for our soldiers and veterans on Veteran's Day.

Today my daughter was thankful for "my Mom and Dad" - which makes me smile!  We were gone on a trip last weekend and the children stayed with my family.  I think that is why she chose to be thankful for us today.

My son was thankful for his new toy that he saved up his money for - the "Superhero Squad Heli-carrier".  He played with it a lot today because it is small enough that he can carry it around. So when he wasn't doing schoolwork, he was creating different battle scenes on the heli-carrier.  He wanted me to mention that it is a great toy here on the blog! 

I know I already posted last week about our new roof, but I have been thankful all week that our new roof is quietly protecting our home from the elements and all of the banging and equipment are gone!  It's been a much quieter, more "normal" week. 

What are you thankful for today?

Thankful Thursday from November 4, 2010

Last Thursday was crazy with the big roof project going on at home and a field trip with our homeschool group that changed at the last minute.  I am posting this from last week and will do a new post later tomorrow!

I am thankful that the leak in our sun porch over the last two years prompted us to get a new roof installed this week.  The workers found a hole in the roof right over where it was leaking. A gutter was resting on top of the shingles that shouldn't have been touching them and water had gotten in under the shingles, rotting away a hole that was several inches large!

The hole was where the new wooden decking is next to the small brick wall and gutter.

Don't get me wrong, it has definitely thrown everything out of kilter this week with a whole team of workers banging on the roof of our home!  Our yard is a mess with all the equipment and there is a dumpster in the driveway.  The dogs can't just go play in the yard and do their business without us taking them on a leash because the workers are there and the Golden Retriever "puppies" are now 68 and 96 lbs and they need their outdoor playtime! So do the kids and I haven't felt like it was safe to let them go out and play on the swingset either.  It's really been a pain, BUT I AM THANKFUL because when we have rain or snow this winter, we will know that the hole is repaired and the new thick shingles will keep our home dry and warm.  We were even blessed in the timing of this project that we were able to re-finance our home at the same time.


God is kind of like that.  We allow sin into our hearts and it rots a hole there.  We have to also allow God to do his job at repairing our hearts.  He does have to tear off the old "shingles" that we have tried to use to cover the "rotten holes" there.  When those dark places are exposed to Him, only He can clear out the "yucky" stuff, patch it, and cover it, making it whole!  I'm glad that whenever sin rots a big or little part of my heart away from Him that I can instantly ask Him to come fix my heart and heal it completely!  That's one of the greatest things to be thankful for. 

Then, when the next temptation comes, hopefully I will be leaning more on Him and my own heart will stay dry and warm, because it has been made whole.  I won't get any water sneaking in through a crack and creating another damaged spot in my heart.  But if I have let even a little tiny crack open to some sin, He can restore my heart completely, all over again, if I allow Him to do the work.  When I try to patch it by myself, the repair job is never as good.  He is the protector of my soul!

Psalm 51:10 "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me."