Thankful beyond words

In the wee hours 

of Thanksgiving morning...

I should be sleeping,

yet I am awake...

there are moments

of keen awareness

of those who are suffering,

of those who are mourning

the loss of spouses,

the memories

of family members,

and of friends

who have gone

before us,

especially those who've

gone before their time...    

at least before we were ready

for them to go...

for them to leave us.

There are others

who are not sleeping,

hearts who are weeping

for those whose

lives hang between

this life

and the next,

wondering how many

hours will pass

how many days

will loved ones last?

So, humbly our hearts bow

crying out, we don't always understand

why you allow

suffering and sickness; 
hold our hand

as we struggle to look up into Your face

thankful for hope, 
dancing in the midst of grace.

I'm thankful for family
and friends
who are still with us...
For precious, memory making
kind of days 
to touch their hands,
their hearts
fully while we are able.   

And so we learn

in the letting go.

We learn 

in the stretching,

in the growing,

through times that ache,

to be thankful in 

ALL

things

experienced

in this world

because we are 

in the process

of getting to know

a personal God,

a process of being

changed into HIS image,

He who chose to send His

only son to redeem us

from sin...

from ourselves

and unto Himself.

So, in the wee hours

of this Thanksgiving morning

I am so "thank full"

for all the reasons

for all the seasons 

of life

and how God chooses

and uses 

every

tiny 

detail

 of our lives

to draw us

unto

Himself.

Amazingly,

God draws us closer

to His heart

because His love is beyond

our imagination...

He longs to live through us

in divinely illuminating,

forever communicating.

His immense love,

the expense poured out

His blood freely

sacrificed 

for us... 

So thankful

beyond

these

words.

 Copyright © 2012 Marie Nease