Monday, November 14, 2011

30 Days of Thanksgiving: Day 14

Some days it's easier to think of things to be thankful for that it is other days.

Today has been one of the "other" days.

It's not that nothing good's happened today.  It's been an amazingly motivated day.  I've swept and mopped the kitchen and bathroom and reassembled both rooms, folded 6 loads of laundry, refolded 2 loads of laundry after the kids knocked them off the couch, washed and dried 4 more loads of laundry, disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the dryer, taught preschool, fed 4 children, picked up my car from the shop...and the night's still young.  There's been no shortage of things to be thankful for, I suppose, but it's been one of those days when it's really hard to find them.

As I sat and pondered my day, I realized part of the reason I was having so much trouble being thankful today is because I miss him today.  


Mondays are the worst.  You see, I get to spend the weekends with him and I get a little spoiled.  Then Monday comes.  Mondays are horrid.  Mondays are back to work and back to school and back to the general craziness that is currently our life "together."  I hate Mondays.

I love him, though.  

Today, of all days, I am thankful for you, Michael.  I am thankful for the hard work you're putting forth every day to earn the money we need to pay our bills.  I am thankful for the time and effort you're putting into your education, working so hard to do a great job so that some day we can be in a different "place" than we are now.  I am so thankful that every night, no matter how late it is when you get home, you sit with me for a while.  I'm thankful that you make the time to wrestle with the kids, read with the kids, study with the kids, every day that you're here when they're awake.  They are thankful for that too, even though they probably don't realize it.

I know everything's not perfect right now.  Life's a struggle some days, financially, emotionally, physically.  We're exhausted.  We're stretched thin.  We don't know whether we're coming or going.  We're not always communicating very well.  We don't see much of each other.  We don't have time or energy to nurture our marriage right now.

But I love you, and I'm so thankful for you!  

Things haven't been easy for the last few years.  I'm not sure anyone really understands the toll the events of the last 7 years have taken on us physically or emotionally.  I'm not sure we could explain it to anyone.  But you've always been right there by my side, no matter what.  You've been my rock and my support through everything.  Every trial, no matter how big or small, you've been there.  I couldn't ask for anything more.

I am thankful for you!

Dear Lord, thank you for my husband.  Thank you for putting him in my life.  Lord, you know the struggles we've faced, the struggles he's faced.  You know his heart.  You know him even better than I do!  Lord, today I ask that you just lift Michael up in your hands.  Hold his heart.  Guide his steps.  Encourage him.  Uplift him.  Bless him beyond his imagination.  Strengthen his resolve.  Give him rest when he needs it.  Give him refreshment when he can't go another moment.  Lord, thank you, thank you, for putting him in my path.  Show me ways to support him each day.  I love you and thank you.

5 comments:

Misty said...
1

Aww! So beautiful. :) We all should remember to thank our spouses for being there for us. :) I, too, am thankful for my best friend and husband. I'm thankful that we met and that the circumstances that came up (although extremely crappy), did come up. They've help us become even closer friends and an even better couple.

Thank YOU for the reminder. :)

Becky said...
2

Yes, I agree. My hubby has had to be away on business on and off for the last several months, and you really don't know just how much you take him for granted until he's not here. I feel your pain, and I too am SO incredibly thankful for my hubby! Thanks for sharing your heart!

Sarah W said...
3

This is so sweet! I know your husband probably feels the exact same way about his wife, too. :)

Tara said...
4

what a great reminder that it's important to lift up our husbands in prayer. my husband farms, as well as holds a full-time job... so for us too, it's easy to get caught up in all the work and not make time for each other.

Sue D said...
5

Thanks for the reminder about praying for our husbands and to be thankful for all they do.

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