So many times in our lives we get bogged down with worry, regret and down right ungratefulness. Today, while walking Bailey, I thought of how my life is going, where it has been and what lies in store for my future (Yes, I know, I write about this alot lately) I asked myself a question that, to me, seems so simple yet so neglected:
What am I thankful for?
I am thankful that I have a Savior who never lets me go. His answers may not be my answers and He may not answer in my timeframe, but they are perfect answers. I may not know, this side of heaven, the answers to those questions, but He does. And that is good enough for me. When I seek Him, I find Him. When He seems far away, that is because I have moved. When I don’t have the words to convey what is on my heart, He just knows. He doesn’t make promises that He cant keep.
I am thankful for my family. So very thankful for my family. They make my life so rich and joyous. I have such wonderful parents who would give their lives to see me healthy and whole again. I have a wonderful wonderful husband who, just by looking at me says what is on his heart. And my kids. They are the light of my life. Every.Single.One.Of.Them.
I am thankful for my husband’s job. They have been so understanding and supportive through this cancer ordeal. Every time I go to his office I am greeted with hugs and smiles and well wishes. I am so thankful that my husband has co-workers who love the Lord and pray for me and for him on a daily basis.
I am thankful for my church. Words can’t describe how thankful I am for the people of GCC. They have stepped up and made dinners and bought groceries…. but most of all they pray for me. They pray for my family. They greet me on the Sundays that I am able to attend church with a hug and a smile, and when I am not able, they understand and hug me doubly hard the next Sunday 
I am thankful for Laura. She and I have been through so much together. She is a real true friend and I am glad that she is in my life.
I am thankful for you. Words cannot convey how thankful I am to have the support and prayer from you. I know, at any given moment in my day that someone is praying for me. That gives me strength and courage in my lowest points. I often read your comments from past entries over and over again just for strength. Your care and concern are so evident in your comments, and I am thankful for you.
I am thankful for my health, as crazy as that sounds. I am thankful that this morning I felt well enough to go for a walk and really put my thoughts in order. On the days that I don’t feel well, I am thankful for medicine and doctors who continually amaze me with their knowledge.
I am thankful for my support group. I cant tell you what a blessing those ladies are to me. It is one thing to talk to someone who isn’t dealing with cancer and have them empathize, but it is a totally different thing to sit in a room with women who know EXACTLY what you are talking about because they have been through it too.
I am thankful that, in every aspect of my life, I can find something to be thankful for…
Dear God,
I bless Your name.
Thank you for loving me.
Thank you for blessing me.
with the hope and fullness of a life in Christ.
I put my heart’s desires in Your hands;
please bring water to the arid land of my soul.
Set Me free from expecting You
to look like I think You should look,
to act like I think You should act.
Let me relax in Your strong love
and trust You to care for me
as You deem best.
Because You love me.
I can trust you.
I can trust you…
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
I am thankful for you and your daily witness. Have an amazing day!
… and WE are thankful for YOU!
That is a wonderful prayer.
Praying from South Africa.
Ann
Dear Heather,
I am so very thankful for everything in my life also and I try to start each day with thanksgiving and gratitude. I am thankful for you and the ministry of your posting here. It is real and honest and from God. He truly is your strength and guide in this life. Through your ups and downs, He is your Rock and is so faithful isn’t He? Bless you and your family to overflowing today as you give thanks to the One who holds your life in His hands.
Love you, Laurie in Ca.
We are lifting you up in prayer Heather.
Bo
I am so thankful to be your daddy. You are such an amazing women. I love you more then I express. I am also thankful that you take after your mom (or someone switched you in the hospital).
The Proudest Dad around!
Heather,
Thank you for reminding us that God is always with us no matter what and that we need to be thankful for his continued blessings in our lives.
Praying that you have a restful and peaceful week.
Hugs ‘N Prayers,
Norma
Heather,
Many have said it, but I will add. I am Thankful for you. Your testimony during this past year has be an admonishment to me to quit looking at myself and to look at others. There’s an old song “Others” it goes like this.
“Lord help me live from day to day in such a self forgetful way, that even when I kneel to pray, my prayers shall be for others. Others, Lord yes others.Let this my motto be. Help me to live for others that I may live like thee.”
You have opened my eyes to those around me. That lady I’m standing behind at the store might have cancer. Make her feel that someone cares. You’re an amazing teacher.
I Have told you before, I’ll tell you again. You are a witness to me. I believe your blog has helped draw me closer to the Lord.
Keep it up my dear sister. I, as well as others need these post, and that amazing smile.
Love,
Lynn
John 15
http://www.missionaircare.org
http://www.earlswife.blogspot.com
I have an award at my blog for you today.
And I am thankful for you.
Still praying for you as ever. Thanks for the reminder to be thankful!
Heather:
I am thankful for you! I am having my own issues. In the midst of your suffering you reach out to others that they may benefit. Thank you for being out there in cyberspace! You are awesome! I will continue to pray…
And I am thankfull to have you in my life Sis!!!
Hugging you hard!!
God is sure good. Thanks for continuing to share your journey with us. : )
Ok, your Dad made me cry. How blessed he is and how blessed you are as well. We do have so much to be thankful for. Thank you for the reminder and for sharing you heart. I have struggled today with the mundane. I see it is just a distraction. Once removed, the beauty is overwhelming. Thank you for helping remove the distractions. May god continue to bless your ministry here.
I am praying for you today!!!!
I was surprised to find that through reading your blog every day for such a long time (before and after the cancer diagnosis) I found myself thinking differently about my life. Thankfulness has been a huge blessing that I have taken from here and try to spread to those I am in contact with.
I am thankful for so much in my life, you included. God has really blessed me tons through you and even those who comment here.
What a blessing and a testimony you are. You love for the Lord, your family and life shine forth. God Bless Your Sweet Heart!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. You continue to inspire and amaze me. Praying for you always.
Dear Heather,
I can’t remember whether I mentioned this book to you before or not, but the quotation at the end of your blog post today reminded me…have you read _The Princess and the Goblin_ and _The Princess and Curdie_? There are some great images of God in there. I read it a couple of months ago, reminding me that He doesn’t always look like what we think, and we don’t always know why He is taking us a particular (sometimes dangerous or scary) direction, but that He’s there.
Besides, they’re kids’ books, and I love kids’ books.
If you don’t feel like reading them, they’re available for free audio download from librivox.org.
Thank you so much for your post today.
Stephanie
Praying for you, Heather. Glad you are feeling better.
Mandy
GA
http://www.madelinegracehopkins.blogspot.com
H.D.
love you and continue to pray for you.
Mich
I am sure I speak for a myriad of people when I say, I am thankful for you and that you have been willing to share all of your ups and downs that we may see Christ in you! YOU ROCK!!!
and i’m thankful to God for your (Romans 5:3-4) character that’s gotten even more amazing than it was before! A human example that our Great Enabler can guide us during our darkest times as well as our highest peaks.
Praise be to God (1 Peter 1:3)
i salute you for your faith. it really helps when you have so many people around who show just how much they love you. those surrounding you and showering you with so much love are living proofs of His love for you.
truly, He doesn’t work as we want Him to, He has His own plans. and we could only let HIM accomplish His plans.
there’s a brighter road ahead for you. for all of us.
praying for you…
love,
rose
What a wonderful post and a wonderful reminder. We all truly do have so much to be thankful for….sometimes going through hard times makes us realize it even more.
Bless you today!
Gina
What a great list of thanksgiving Heather. I think that your blog has impressed me and challenged me most with praising the Lord in ALL times…not just sometimes, when things are going well. I am the type of person whose heart hurts so much for others, that many times I just see the pain and loss in life, and neglect the blessings. You make life real, and share both. I thank the Lord for how He continues to use you in so many lives. And, I also LOVE your daddy. In His Grip Always, Lynnebee
Heather-
I work for Merck and I sell the HPV/cervical cancer vaccine Gardasil.
Everyday I am faced with physicians and nurses that tell me they just don’t have time to vaccinate their patients against a potentially life threatning disease that affects young mothers. It infuriates me when they make excuses not to do it-cost, time, insurance coverage, having to educate their patients,religious reasons, it’s somebody else’s responsiblity-the list goes on and I’ve heard it all! It is SO hard to keep going when nobody wants to listen to you. Especially hard when the vaccine you sell is 100% effective in protecting girls against this easily spread virus. Especially hard too when I myself am a mother of two young children- This is the disease that takes mothers my own age!
YOU inspire me to be persistent and to be an advocate for patients!!! THANKS!!!Because the patients ultimately lose if the doctors don’t vaccinate and do the RIGHT thing.
I’m thankful for Jesus. I’m thankful that He made you!
Heather,
I am so very grateful for you. You have shown me how to be thankful and appreciate all that I have, even when times are hard. Different hard from your situation, but hard nonetheless. God uses you in so many wonderful ways and precious you and your precious family are in my prayers. Thank you!
Heather,
This is a fabulous post. I am thankful for you, too, for you never fail to direct my gaze back on the Father. You are precious to me, though we’ve never met.
Might I link to this post Thursday during my regular Thanks Tank. It is quite fitting.
Praying for you tonight.
Heather, you are just totally amazing, writing the beautiful posts that you do! And I know you probably don’t feel like it. You have such a lovely spirit. Bless you sweet, Heather. Praying for you.
I’m sitting here thinking this thought … “How can I LOVE someone at a great distance?” Well, I decided to just tell you. I LOVE YOU, HEATHER!
I started reading your blog long before your diagnosis and treatment. You are a strong woman and full of faith. You have taught me and others to look at what is important in life.
I pray for you daily and expect to hear good reports all along the way!
Betty in Oklahoma
I’m thankful for you!
Heather-
If you’d like, Beth Moore has a good message on Life Today this morning. She is on every Wednesday’s. She describes praising Him when we may not always feel like it. That is what I see you doing when I read your posts. I pray that He blesses you through your purposeful praise to Him.
http://www.lifetoday.org
And so many are thankful for you Heather!
I am thankful that you remind us that if we just choose to be grateful, that to an acceptance and peace that covers our day.
Thank you Heather for this reminder. My grandmother had surgery 3 weeks ago to remove her cancer from her lung. The road to recovery is slow and has lots of bumps. I need to daily remind myself of all we have to be thankful. I am blessed in so many ways. Thanks for sharing your heart.
Reading your list is a blessing. It’s also a reminder to me to count my blessings and remember what I’m thankful for. Thanks for the reminder.
JoAnn
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now, I don’t think I’ve ever commented though. I just really loved the way you described our Lord in this post! He’s amazing! It’s been incredible to watch you praise His name through this time. It’s been such an encouragement to see God being there ALL the time in someone elses lives. It’s one of those things that we “know” but it’s difficult to understand even when we see Him there in our own lives. Sometimes I question whether Jesus will be there EVERY time in EVERY moment and from your testimony I can not just know but see that the He actually is present all the time. Thank you for being really honest about your life. I pray for you and your family whenever the Lord brings you to mind.
Heather…
I just want you to know what a blessing your words have been to me today. A good friend is battling lymphoma & just got some unwelcome news re: her cancer. I’ve been struggling with what to say to encourage her, and I ended up just copying and pasting your words in an email to her, they were so fitting. This is a tough struggle you have here, no doubt about it. But our God is, indeed, GOOD, no matter where we are in our lives. Thanks for your perspective….
Felisol said…
Dear Heather,
I’m thankful for learning to know you and the way you are coping with you trials.
God bless and strengthen you even more.
From Felisol
October 26, 2007 3:54 PM
Julie (aka Little Missionary) said…
What a wonderful post!
Julie
October 26, 2007 10:55 PM
I love the fact that you’re thankful for your health. You really did come out on top after your surgery, Heather, and I couldn’t be happier for you. To God be the glory, great things He hath done…