Thankful

Today is Thanksgiving, the day that we are supposed to celebrate all the things we are thankful for. It is a time of family reunions, football, and turkey eating. I sincerely pray that each and every one of you has a good day today.

I'll admit that being thankful has not been easy for me this year. As pretty much all of you know, my mother passed away December of last year. Though she had been in the hospital for months, we were not expecting it. In fact I was sure she would be finally able to come home within a matter of weeks. Instead she peacefully passed on into the arms of Jesus, whom she loved more dearly than anyone else.

As you can imagine, the entire family was heart broken. After what can easily be described as the worst Christmas ever, I returned to home to Illinois. It was here that I finally broke down. I spent the next months doing everything except being thankful. I cursed God, wept, screamed, begged to have her back, and was generally not the nicest person to be around. I do sincerely apologize for that.

Now that Thanksgiving is here, I've realized that through the year 2016 I have yet to be genuinely thankful. I've complained and cried, but have yet to say just how thankful I am for her. So here it is.

I am so thankful for my mother.

I am thankful for her wisdom, which has guided me through many trials. I am thankful for her knowledge of the Bible. She was always someone I could call if I had a question. I am thankful for her example of service to God's people. She is my inspiration for going into ministry. I am thankful for all the times we disagreed, because she showed me how to disagree and still love the other person.

I am thankful for her joy over my accomplishments. She always made me feel like I had worth. I am thankful for her writing. I am thankful for her hugs. I'm even thankful for the kisses. I am thankful for life lessons she taught me. I wouldn't be here without them. I am thankful for the discipline she enforced. It taught me responsibility and kindness.

I could go on forever. I could talk about the songs of praise she constantly had playing in the car and at home that instilled in me a love for worship. I could talk about the fact that she was always ready to snuggle on the couch with her kids. I could talk about her perseverance and courage in the face of physical challenges towards the end of her life.

Still, the biggest thing I am thankful for is how my mom showed me Jesus. Every area of her life was dedicated to serving Christ. She didn't just talk the talk, she walked the walk. She instilled in me the devotion for God that drives me to this day. My mother looked like Jesus.

Now I'm tempted to stop there, but I can't. See, there is one other person who has had just as big an impact on my life as my mother. He has been there every step of the way and continues to be my support and ally. He also won't like that I'm putting him in the spotlight (sorry, not sorry).

I am so thankful for my father.

I am thankful for the example you have given me. While mom showed me how to be a Christian minister, it was you who showed me how to be a Christian man. I am thankful for the guidance you have given me over the years and are continuing to give me. I am thankful that you put up with me and my stubbornness. I am thankful that you listen to me, even when I ramble on about some abstract theological concept for three hours straight.

I am thankful for your example of being a Christ-like husband and father. While the other kids wanted to be like their favorite athlete or actor, all I wanted was to be like you. I am thankful for you holding me accountable. I am thankful that I can honestly come to you with anything. You look like Jesus.

Well, that was the hardest blog I've ever written. Check in tomorrow to learn about something that's way easier for me to write about; the Crusades. See you then!