Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will
for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
Ours had been a year where giving thanks in all
circumstances challenged us. It required thanking in the darkness.
The storms began in March when Mom fell and broke her wrist.
The doctor had warned her not to go outside or bend over, whether inside or
outside. We had repeated his warning to her numerous times. She wouldn’t
listen. Sure enough, the inevitable finally happened. Knowing my stepfather,
who was a small man and who also had Alzheimer’s, could not care for her, we
started the process of getting Mom into a skilled nursing facility.
With Mom gone, my stepfather’s cognitive ability rapidly
declined. He could no longer care for himself. The doctor informed us that he,
too, needed to be in a skilled nursing facility or have round-the-clock care.
He couldn’t afford the latter, so we began the process of getting him into the
same facility—and perhaps the same room—as Mom. But when we informed his
children—most of whom had been disengaged from his life for more than a
decade—they disagreed with our decision.
In short order, they hired an attorney to revoke my POA,
made accusations against us to the Department of Social Services, and sued to
get full inheritance of his and Mom’s house. So Mom had to hire an attorney to
defend herself—only she couldn’t take care of any of those legal matters, so it
fell upon me as her POA. As of this writing, the legal battle continues.
To add to our struggles, my mother-in-law, who had lived
with us for almost two years, had a mini-stroke and fell, hitting her head in
the process. By the next day, we had to move her to the Hospice House, and
within four days, she was gone.
Amid the challenges, fall arrived—my favorite time of the
year. I watched the leaves turn vibrant colors, felt the temperatures fall, and
enjoyed the crispness of each morning and evening. One morning, as I filled the
bird feeder on the fence at the back of our yard, I noticed a lone doe feeding
on the acorns among the leaves. She stared at me, but made no effort to run. I
returned to the house to get my phone to take a picture. When I returned, she
still stood there. I took several photos as she posed.
Suddenly, my perspective changed. Despite the year’s
challenges, I had much to be thankful for. I worshipped the Creator of all the
beauty I witnessed. My wife and I experienced a few minor health issues during
the year, but nothing major. We had two wonderful children and seven
rambunctious grandsons to enjoy. We had a wonderful church family and numerous
friends. Our son had given up an unhealthy habit he had indulged in for many
years. Our income paid the bills and gave us a little leftover for short vacations.
God loved us and accepted us into his family.
The list could go on, but Paul was right. Even if our year’s
circumstances had been worse, I could still find myself thanking God in the
darkness. The little preposition “in” makes all the difference. God never tells
us to thank him “for” all circumstances, just in them. This we can do when we
remember that a good and loving God controls those circumstances and will
forever work them for our good and his glory.
This Thanksgiving and every day, thank God. Doing so will
change your perspective on life.
Father, regardless of how the darkness appears, lead me to
thank you in all things.
I invite you to try my book Hurt, Hope, and Healing in eBook or paperback. If you seek hope and healing because of the hurts you have faced, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.
