I feel compelled to give a brief explanation for each of the things I’m praising God for this week. I don’t know why, other than I want you to know that these weekly lists are not random thoughts to fill a blog post that I committed to doing all year. Sometimes a simple list will suffice. Other times, an explanation is in order. So on that note, here’s what I’m praising God for this week with commentary.
1). Eighteen years ago, my husband and I bought our first (of four) houses. About two years into it, we decided to remove the cedar shingles and replace them with vinyl siding. What started out as a “simple” project turned into a project involving the gutting of the only bathroom we had. Apparently, most of the bathroom was resting on the weight of a window we wanted to take out of the bathroom and cover with siding. Upon doing so, the walls came down. If only I could find the picture of my husband standing in the middle of the rubble with a phone to his ear! I tell you this because as thankful as I was about getting a new refrigerator, I was worried. I have not recovered from the bathroom incident 18 years ago and all of the other home improvement disasters over the years. So when our new fridge went in without a hitch and without the need to remove cabinets setting off a domino effect of new projects, I was, as you can imagine, praising God and not quietly!
2). If you are the mom of an 8th grade boy, the graduation ceremony is for you, not the teenage boy. If you have a girl, the ceremony is for them. They have a completely different take on the whole event. For the girl it involves getting gussied up with fancy dresses and extra care with hair and makeup. Since I have a boy, the only mention of clothes was “I look ridiculous in these clothes.” Despite his fussing, it was an absolute joy to watch my 14-year old walk across the stage even if he would have given anything to be somewhere else. I’m very proud of him.
3). In addition, I’m praising God for all of the friends Nick has in his life, most of them from pre-K 3. Good friends are a rare commodity, and he has been blessed.
4). Gentle and pointed reminders from the Holy Spirit specifically Proverbs 4:23 “Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” More on this in an upcoming post.
5). Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. I am praising God that despite all the nastiness out there, there are still people rising up and standing up for what is right and for the things of God. Everyday Heroes is coming up in my next post.
6). School’s out. Need I say more?
7). My husband’s excitement over moving up to 7th and 8th grade next year. He’s spent 12 years teaching 5th and 6th grade, and his excitement to go deeper in teaching the Bible with older kids is indeed praiseworthy!
Kathryn Nielson 