Thanksgiving at Children's Hospital

Its my first stateside Thanksgiving in 4 years. Earlier in the week I was kinda bummed about that thought and that I wouldn't see any family today....maybe I have gotten used to the idea and don't have such a "woe is me attitude", or maybe the Lord did a work in my heart and changed my outlook. I am taking care of some babies right now that started off life with a rough go of it, healthwise and family wise. I found myself rocking 3 of them tonight, praying for them, knowing that their family wasn't going to see them on Thanksgiving, and being thankful for the opportunity to love them and care for them. I thought of the one little boy abandoned by both parents....My Father will never leave or forsake me. I thought of the other little boy whose mother died shortly after he was born....My Father sent His Son who died to give me life.

There is so much to be thankful for.

I have been studying Colossians, and I wrote a verse on an index card and have been carrying it around with me tonight. The card is quite bent now, but I read it when I get a chance.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these things put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him." Colossians 3:12-17

There is so much in those 5 verses that I need God's help with....but today I want to focus on the bold words, relishing in an amazing God who has given me way beyond what I deserve and blessed me in more ways than I could've asked or imagined. I find that in these rare times when I can sit and ponder what I can be thankful for, I am able to clothe myself better with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and forgiveness. It still isn't easy, but it helps get things in perspective. I should be more thankful more often.