If it wasn't thursday, and if Iris wasn't hosting Thankful Thursday at Sting My Heart, I would have to write a thankful post anyway. I am so thankful.

I think especially, this week, of the people he has so lovingly placed in my life. I am, of course, thankful for my family. I feel as though I am so very blessed. However, I was thinking about the other people in my life:

First of all my heart is so full of gratitude to all of you, my precious blogging friends, who have prayed for us. I don't know how to adequately express how much it means to know you are being prayed for. We got six and a half inches of rain at our house today. While just thirty minutes away, our son and DIL didn't get much at all. God heard and answered our prayers - yours and ours. Had they gotten the amount of rain we did, we would be pulling soaking wet carpeting out of their house (as we did once before about three years ago). They are predicting more rain over the next few days, but we will just continue to pray and trust God to protect their little home. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRAYERS - MY PRECIOUS SISTERS.

I am thankful for my "real life" friends. Seven of us met for lunch yesterday to celebrate Abby's 50th birthday. We talked so much the poor waiter had difficulty getting our order. Some of us haven't seen each other in a few years, and yet it is just as though we were all together a day ago. We just pick right up where we left off. We first got to know one another in a small group Bible Study. We have learned together, prayed for each other, laughed until our sides ached, and cried when one of us was hurting. I know I could call any of them at any time of the day or night and they would be there for me. There are times I think I could make it on my own. That just isn't true. These Godly women aren't just fun to be with, they encourage me, hold me accountable, rejoice with me, teach me and always, always point me to the Savior. I am so thankful for them.

I'm thankful for the Godly leaders in my life. Our Pastor teaches me in such practical terms what it is to live a Godly life. Our music minister inspires me to live a life that glorifies the Lord. I watched him closely last night during choir practice. His love for the Lord Jesus just radiates out of every fiber of his being. Less of self and more of Jesus - that is how he challenges us to live. When we see Christianity modeled in the lives of those in leadership, it blesses us.

I have one other thing I want to thank the Lord for. My Dad has had a constant cough for months now. It is literally just wearing him out. The doctor has given him antibiotics, allergy medicine, cough medicine - nothing seems to help. Yesterday he ordered a chest xray. We were concerned. He has had prostate cancer, and I think that was in the back of all our minds - the worry that the cancer might have come back in a different place.

The xray came back fine. His lungs are clear, and we thank You Lord with all our hearts. We still don't know what is causing the cough. Perhaps it is allergies. After one more round of antibiotics, we will see how he does.

Thank you again - each one of you who prayed for us. You are very, very dear to my heart. In fact - you are just as much my "real life" friends as my "real life" friends.

Blessings,