Ready for Thanksgiving
My recent bout with COVID has left me filled with gratitude. Bet satan did not see that one coming. Neither did I. I would, however, have to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to see all God opened my eyes to when I was forced to be still for a couple of weeks. I am grateful:
· That once again, the Lord has shouted down the lie that I am alone that so many single women fall prey to. He surrounded me with those who genuinely cared, checked on my oxygen levels, and held me accountable to be vigilant about any change in my condition. Thank you to the many friends who tried to bring me food, though I was well supplied by the ones who sent food deliveries early on. Deeply grateful to a long-time prayer partner who kept my secret I had COVID from my son who was out of town and needed to be fully present on an assignment. (She protested early and often, but she was faithful, was my nurse, stocked my fridge, and brought me an oximeter.) I love you all.
· For God showing me how fearfully and wonderfully made I am and that the world as He created it is. When my taste was taken away, for the first time, I became aware of all the complexities of texture that are in the food He has given us. Since taste was not appealing, I learned to look forward to the crispness of a pear or snow peas. When I got really frustrated by a week of everything tasting like sugar water, I indulged in a BLT. The crisp lettuce and bacon, the softness of the bread, and the unique texture of the tomato were like a symphony and relieved the monotony. He had created me to appreciate these things, but I had never noticed them or thanked Him for them. He does so much for us that we do not even see.
· For an incredible doctor who over a year ago started preparing me to be healthy enough to fight this. She made me come to her office once a week until I was built up. I entered this battle stronger than I have been in years. The Lord knew I would need a doctor like this and placed her in my life just in time. I am grateful to the doctor in Texas and the med student who works for her that took an interest in my case and gave me great advice about how to avoid hospitalization. Nothing is random.
· For you, dear friends, who inspire me today to get up and to begin to write again even though I am not all the way to the finish line with this thing. I am praying that you and yours will be spared this virus, but I want you to know He has thought of every little and big thing that needs to happen for you.
· And forgive me, but being a Georgia girl, I have to say that I could not have had a more entertaining time to be flat on my back. My Braves are World Series Champions and Georgia beat Florida! Plenty to fill my time with during many idle hours really helped.
Most of all, thank you, Lord, for your kindness to me, your seeing the end from the beginning, and for being a Creator who makes everything perfectly in its original form. I thank you, God, that with my health issues, I did not have to be hospitalized or worse. Only God holds my minute-to-minute welfare in His hands, and I am grateful He gave me more time to declare His goodness in the land of the living. And most of all, I thank you for being willing to call a wretched sinner like me your favored daughter and for my salvation.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17
My blog that received the highest number of email responses of all time was a Thanksgiving blog a couple of years ago. I wrote it when I was surrounded by death and with friends who were suffering. It was hard to write. This one is easy. This Thanksgiving, I will be thanking Him for things I previously took for granted.