Thankful, Day Twenty-Three

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!

Serve the Lord with gladness;

Come before His presence with singing.

Know that the Lord, He is God.

It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;

We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.

Psalm 100, NKJV

Christmas was a blessed day, all around. Good food, good company, good times spent with good people. I'm especially blessed to be with Mom, the woman who gave me life. And I'm so thankful for lots and lots of things today.

This afternoon, Mom and I spent some time on the porch swing in the warmth of the setting sun, singing some good ol' gospel songs that have meant alot to us through the years. She leads and I harmonize, and as much from the heart as from our memories we sing together. Most of those old songs are about Heaven and how we long to go there, and I rejoice in their message of hope and a life in the hereafter. I'm thankful today that my Mom taught me to sing those old songs, and that we can continue to worship God through them together.

Later we spent some time in the hot tub, talking and solving all the world's problems. If people would just listen to us, we could really help alot of folks! But as it always does, the conversation turned to our own continuing experience with the Lord, now 35 years along. We laughed, we cried, we got serious with the Scriptures, we shouted, we quoted, we encouraged each other in the Lord. I'm thankful today that my Mom taught me to put all of my faith, my hope, and my trust in the Lord.

And when I think about all that I've been through, all that has happened to me, and all that I'm looking forward to, I know that I have the same reasons as many to give up on serving the Lord. Not all of my prayers have been answered the way I had hoped. Not all the occurrences in my life have been happy. Not all of my dreams have been fulfilled. And yet in spite of hardship and heartbreak, in spite of trouble and lack and pain, in spite of all things, I am determined that I will not give up. I will go on to the end with Jesus. No turning back for me, I've made my decision, and I cannot change my mind. There is nothing this world has to offer that is better than Jesus and the eternity that is promised me in Him. So I'm thankful today for the assurance that I have, that in serving the Lord I have a better eternity awaiting me than the one I deserve.

Thank you Lord for your unfailing faithfulness to me.