Tuesday, November 25, 2008

So many things to be thankful for...


I would have titled this blog the same if I had written it last week, but even more so after this week. John and I have seen God interact with us in a special way over the past few days and since this afternoon my fingers have been itching to blog about it and put my thoughts down.
On Monday morning as I was backing out of my parking spot in front of our apartment my bumper was side swiped by one of neighbors. A paint job is the main thing it will need. The car is still driveable and neither one of us was injured or hurt. It was an inconvenience that made me late for work, but it could have been worse.
Last night we dropped my car off at the local mechanic shop for the state inspection. John had noticed his battery light had lit up in his car but after a trip to Auto Zone found out the battery was in good shape. He figured that the alternator must be going, but it may be a while.
This morning, I took John's car to work and drove home to meet him for lunch and to go pick up my car from the mechanic shop. When we got in the car the battery was dead and the car wouldn't start. At just this moment our neighbor drives up (different than the one who I had an accident with on Monday am) in his work van and is able to jump start the car. So, we start off...again... only this time the car starts jerking and not shifting and the gauges on the dash board aren't working! I wasn't sure we were going to make it to the mechanic shop, but thank the Lord we did. We also began to wonder if the alternator was instead the transmission going...
Many things to be thankful to the LORD about in the midst of this...

1. My accident could have been much worse.
2. John's car behaved while I was driving (because I would have not known what to do if it had started acting like that while I was driving)
3. Our neighbor drove up just as we needed him.
4. We made it to the Mechanics.
5. My car was driveable - so thankful an accident had not rendered it useless
6. We had left extra early so John wasn't late to work (small, I know - but important).
7. The Lord will provide for the repair, whatever it is...
8. More details to come on #8....
9. Not every day I get extra time with my husband on a ride to work!

I do have to say that the beginning of this week has felt a little bit like falling down the last few steps of a staircase - bump, bump, ? but we are so thankful for our God's provision and even the way He has turned our hearts to Him! We don't know the outcome yet but we trust Him. Hasn't He been good? So, I guess I would sum up the rest of my Thanksgiving as follows...

Thank you for the cross, Thank You, Lord, for drawing me
Out of millions lost, Thank You, Lord, for saving me
Haven't you been good?
Glory to Your name, Glory to Your holy name,
Thankfulness and praise for grace and mercy never changing
Haven't you been so good to me?

5 comments:

Tim, Kristen , Megan, Emily, and Anna said...

There are so many things to be thankful for. I needed that reminder as it has been a hard last 3 days with Megan being sick and such...but you are right, there are so many things to be thankful for!!!

Karis said...

So... how many of you who read this post are wondering it there's going to be a baby announcement for #8?!? Kayla did say that Krista needed a cousin too (I guess Megan is hers?). Kristen said she's out of the running for awhile to fulfill that request. Oh... the teasing to be endured in the child bearing stage. I usually steer clear of all that in an attempt to be sensitive so I'm not sure what got into me today.

Seriously, though, sorry to hear about all the inconveniences of the last week. Thanks for sharing your perspective of all you have to be thankful for. I have been mulling over the "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you" verse. Pretty clear cut but not natural for me to do.

cranny + b said...

aw, Bethany,

your perspective on this is so encouraging!

Had just a few minutes at school, so i thought I would take advantage of the fact that I could actually leave comments on friends' blogs!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Unknown said...

Bethany, I just want you to know that you and John were so instrumental in my being thankful today, and that my heart is full. Thanks so much for coming to Kansas and surprising me --I think I was about the only ignorant one at the end! What a joy to have family together, and even though our hearts hurt so much because Dan, Karis, Kayla and Krista were not here, we could rejoice in being able to skype with them for a little while. Thank you, Lord!

Unknown said...

I better respond today as I have done my response on Dan and Karis', and Tim and Kristen's blogs. Kristen told me on Tuesday that I had not commented on her latest blog. I was waiting for the latest update from Bethany. Hope she is enjoying John done with his school work for another semester. It was so good to see John and Bethany at Thanksgiving. We have had our church parking lot already cleared twice and are to get more freezing rain and snow by Sunday and again by Tuesday. Karen stayed at Kristen's last night to avoid driving on icy streets this morning if the storm arrived. Have a very wonderful Christmas and an Happy New Year. Bye for now.

Love,
Dad Varner