Thankful Thursday

It has been so long since I have done a Thankful Thursday post. For some reason, Thursdays seem to slide right past me and it is Friday before I know it. This week, there are many HUGE things to be thankful for . . .

Who is so great a God as our God?
You are a God who works wonders.
Psalm 77:13-14

These are just a few of the wonders I have seen God work these past few days. If you don't care to read them all, then scroll down to the last one. It's worth it, I promise! :D

I am thankful for our church's grand opening of the new facility this past Sunday. To say it was amazing would be an understatement. There were probably about 4,000 people present, a huge traffic jam and all kinds of hoopla. Somehow in the middle of all that, all I noticed was God's presence and the worship was incredible. A friend joined us. I hope that she was as moved as I was. But the most wonderful thing about it was that Linzi actually went happily into the preschool room for the first time EVER!!! It did help that she had her favorite little friend with her. But still!!! She hardly looked over her shoulder at me and came out gushing over how much fun she had! And for me, it was the first time in almost four years that I have been able to sit, undistracted, through an entire service. This was huge for us. :-)

I am thankful for amazing friends who surround me. This past week, my friends have been a huge presence in my life. I love each and every one of them for the unique and beautiful people that they are. I appreciate the diversity and I appreciate the way some certain friends have challenged my views lately and made me think with an open mind. :D

And my greatest gratitude this week is for a playgroup friend and her brand new daughter. It has been a long, tough road for them. They left for China a few weeks ago, against their agency's advice. Their daughter has a heart condition and she had gotten sicker and was hospitalized. The doctors here looked at her medicals and said she may not even be able to fly home. It truly was a life threatening situation. Her agency was concerned that they would not be allowed to see their daughter while she was hospitalized and strongly advised that they wait it out until they got word that she was out of the hospital. They went to China anyway, fully prepared for the possibility of an extended stay, perhaps even surgery in China and not even knowing if they would be able to see their daughter at all. All they knew is that their daughter needed them and they would do whatever they had to do once they got there. Talk about FAITH! Well, they did receive her on the originally scheduled day. Thank goodness they followed their hearts and not the practical advise that was given! They had a long and difficult trip because of her health issues, they almost didn't fly home. At the absolute last possible minute, they were granted oxygen so that she could fly home. They came home last week. Last Thursday they received the news that her heart could actually be repaired, something that they weren't sure was possible. On Tuesday, she received the surgery she needed and she is doing WONDERFUL!!! The surgeon came out of the operating room smiling. This family's faith and perseverance is such an inspiration to me. Their daughter is beautiful and perfect. And now she has a full and healthy life ahead of her. But most importantly, she is cherished and loved by one of the sweetest families I know. The verse above was shared by this same friend. She says it is these words that gave her strength during the some of the most difficult (and scary) times. God truly has worked wonders for this family. It just doesn't get any better than that!

So on that note, have a wonderful day!