Count Your Blessings

I was reminded the other night, while Nathan was praying, that we have so much to be thankful for.  I was reminded to count my blessings!  It's been a week.  Not terrible.  We are just all adjusting and my list of tough issues was growing and that's what my focus has been on.

We drove through Eastwood Park, our old neighborhood, the other evening and my heart broke.  That could have been us dealing with a house that had been flooded, wondering where to begin, how would we afford it, would the house be safe or even livable.  The stench, the mold, tearing the house apart to try and start over.  My heart broke for the devastation each of those families are facing.  For the road ahead of them as they face each of those questions.  And yet, by the grace of God, He chose to spare us from that.  We have a brand new home to move into soon.  Yes, it's a season, that we chose to walk into, and at moments I think we're crazy for it, but we are grateful to be where we're at.

^ our old home, we drove by the other night (when I didn't have my camera) and they had the door open and you could see inside, everything was ripped out down to the studs^

^ you can see the water line on the front door ^

^ what it looks like around Eastwood Park ^

I am grateful for my Savior, my Rock, my God who is God Almighty and yet He meets us each where we're at!  The One who we can turn to, who we can put our trust in, who leads us and guides us.  For His forgiveness and grace, and that His mercies are new each morning.  He is always there and His love for us is unfailing. 
I am grateful for my amazing husband, who is working tirelessly building a home for his family who in the midst of all that continues to sacrificially serve his family as much as he can.
I am grateful for my wonderful children.  I am so blessed to be a mom!  They fill our home with joy and laughter, creativity and wonder.  My heart is so touched as I listen to them pray at night, watching them grow, and learning each of their personalities, who God has created them to be.
I am grateful for the new precious life that has joined our family. What an amazing blessing, the gift of life that has been entrusted to us for a time.  We have been reminded once again how delicate life is.  Janessa is fully dependent on us, her parents.  She would die without us.  And that reminds us of our dependency on the Lord, our need for a Savior.   
I am grateful for all the amazing people God has placed in our lives.  Wonderful friends and family.  We are so blessed by each of them (you!).  And we are so grateful for how so many have served our family in this season.  How we have seen the love of Christ demonstrated in such practical ways.  We have learned so much of what is means to be a willing servant. 
I am grateful for this season that the Lord is bringing us through, for all that He is teaching us, for all that we are learning even though it's been and will be hard at times.
I am grateful!

The list goes on, the things to be grateful for, His blessings, are too numerous to count!

Thank you Lord for the reminder of where my heart needs to be, where my eyes need to be: on You!