Thank You for the Bad Things

My girls learned a cute little song with a catchy tune recently.
"Thank You for the good things,
Thank You for the good things,
Thank you, Lord, for all the good things.
Thank you for the hugs and kisses,
Thank you for the stars and wishes..."
It goes on thanking God for all the good things that He gives to us.

My nephew was being silly and started singing,
"Thank You for the bad things,
Thank You for the bad things..."

It got me thinking.

There have been times in my life that I've endured some bad things-from being betrayed by a close friend when I was 12 to experiencing the death of my first boyfriend when I was 16 to becoming a mother of a child with continual health needs. Compared to some, I haven't experienced many bad things, but they sure have rocked my little world.

It seems that while I'm going through a "bad thing" it is really hard to thank the Lord for it. No matter how hard I tried, I did NOT want to thank the Lord for giving my daughter a heart defect that would follow her the rest of her life. I did not want to thank God for taking away my special friend. And why would you thank God for giving you a "friend" that would betray you?

I guess I have always equated thankfulness with an emotion. You know, the ooey, gooey kind that wells up within you and then spills out because you just feel so grateful for being able to experience the goodness bestowed upon you by someone else. Then you say, "Thank you soooo much!"

But God uses thankfulness in the command category instead of the optional one-"In everything give thanks." (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

But how? How can we thank God for the bad things?

I'm not really sure how it happens, other than we must rely on the character of God. "When we place our trust in God's faithfulness-when we consciously and willingly put our full confidence in Him-we will enjoy personal security and inner peace unlike anything the world can provide. Despite our raw emotions and regardless of what the surrounding circumstances may seem to tell us, our trust can rest in the fact that God is faithful. And if that is true, what can rock us? We stand confident, peaceful, secure." (quote from Myrna Alexander)

So, in the bad things I will be thankful that my Father in Heaven stands by me and that He will be faithful to me-even if I never know the purpose of going through a bad thing, even if I never see a good thing come from the bad things. God is faithful. God is good. God does love me. For that I can be thankful.

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassion's never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefor I will wait for him.'" (Lamentations 3:21-24)

Happy Birthday

One year ago today we welcomed a little bundle of testosterone into our predominantly estrogen filled home. Our first son and fourth child, Craig, has turned out to be ALL boy and yet such a joy!

Through the hitting, hair-pulling, growling, and drooling, he's the first one to go running to see his big sisters when the get home from school.

He perches on his biggest sister's hip like a pro and wrestles with Jessie until we say, "No!"

He's played with lots of pink but that doesn't make us think that he's NOT all BOY.

A major league pitcher he'll be, this we know, because of his increasing desire to throw. Balls, food, toys...there's no discrimination to his ever growing imagination.

He's had many bumps, as you can see from his head. But that just makes him tougher, just like his Dad.

The doctor may say that he is too small,

but that doesn't keep him from climbing to feel so tall!

He's made mom vaccum the floor over and over

because of his love to dig and discover. (In the plants.)

So little bundle of blue,

please know that our hearts LOVE You!

Happy first birthday, Craig.

Disclaimer: (A very rough attempt at poetry...which was never my thing.)

I Wonder...

(Natalie at one year old)

Natalie's latest:

Me- "Natalie, come here so you can take your medicine."

Natalie- "No."

Me- "Natalie, you need to take your medicine."

Natalie- "Why?"

Me- "Because it will help you stay healthy."

Natalie- "Why, mommy?"

Me- "Natalie, you need to take it for your heart."

Natalie- "Why? Heart broke?"

It made me ponder what she really comprehends. We don't talk a lot about her imperfect heart. She has watched her picture DVD hundreds of times so knows about all those tubes and bandages she experienced. But I really wonder. Does she realize that she breathes heavy when she comes up the stairs? Does she know that other children her age don't get tired after walking 50 yards? Does she comprehend the fact that her heart is "broke?" I wonder...