A little encouragement needed....and received...

So, I started typing this blog Friday afternoon but stopped. I stopped because I was trying to make something true that frankly, wasn't true. Yesterday, was our 6 year anniversary. We had made plans for Zeke to stay the night at a friends house and we would go to dinner, stay at home, and then go to a pool the next day. You know, have some time just for us. Well, Thursday night Zeke started with a runny nose and cough. A little while later, Arnett said he wasn't feeling too hot. Great, now both my boys are sick and we won't get to go out for our anniversary, just like we didn't get to go out for Valentine's Day. Guess, I should have started there. Arnett and I hardly do anything just the two of us. For Valentine's Day he had arranged our friends to keep Zeke so we could go to dinner. He surprised me with it and everything! I was so excited. Then, I got sick and we couldn't go. Of course, I was thinking, "Great! Now it's our anniversary and he and Zeke are both sick and we aren't going to be able to go." I was really bummed Thursday night and was having a pity party for myself (okay maybe more like a rant and rage session) as I was talking with God. Then God led me to Colossians 3:15:

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

So, Thursday night I was really trying to choose to be thankful. I was making mental lists of things I had to be thankful for and all. Friday, we woke up, I was still hopeful that we could still go. We hem hawed around for several hours. Then we finally decided not to go. All my feelings of thankfulness went out the window. I was mad!! We recently heard about this saying that is popular among expats living in West Africa. The saying is, "WAWA - West Africa Wins Again". Well, that's how I felt. West Africa had won AGAIN!! I tried to remember what God had shown me the night before but I was failing. Finally, I decided to make the best of it. So, Friday night, we ate an early dinner, made some popcorn and watched a movie as a family. Saturday, we got up and piddled around, then we went out to lunch, came home and rested, and then we went to some friends house for dinner and a movie. It was a great day!!! We spent the evening the same way we had 6 years ago, surrounded by friends. Praise the Lord!!

So, I've decided to choose to be Thankful. Things I'm especially thankful for today:

1. Celebrating our 6 year anniversary.
2. Zeke has been relatively healthy, especially considering where we live.
3. A great weekend despite our plans didn't go according to the way we felt they should.
4. Despite Arnett feeling like poo he was still willing to go have a date night/day with me.
5. Friends here who've become our 2nd family.
6. Today was a day of doing nothing but rest, a great way to finish out our anniversary weekend.
7. Supper tonight...BLT's with REAL bacon (not the microwaveable kind) from America and homemade french fries! YUMMY!! (I know BLT's are nothing special but when you haven't had REAL bacon in a long time they are especially good!!)
8. Earlier this week we found a children's picture Bible at our supervisor's house. She agreed to let us borrow it. Every night we've been reading a couple of stories to Zeke. He loves it and looks forward to it every night! Praise God for this little treasure He gave us!! Praise God our son loves sitting and hearing the stories from the Father's word!
9. Zeke's new found love of reading books.
10. Our sicknesses have been minimal since we've arrived back from America.
11. God's faithfulness.
12. God hasn't given up on us yet!! Why, I don't know but He hasn't and for that I am especially Thankful!!!
13. God's mercy, His love and His grace which are abundant!!

So, I challenge you, whatever circumstances you find yourself in, try choosing to be Thankful. I know it's not easy but it's a choice we all have to make. So, here's to thankfulness. Until next time...

Oh, one more thing... a few new pics of Zeke...

So, for some reason Zeke has an obsession with these little trash cans we have. For some reason he likes to put them on his head. As you can see, he doesn't affect his ability to drive his little car either. This kid cracks us up all the time!!

Zeke and his Daddy reading a book together. He's really starting to love reading.