Two Times the Happy Thanksgiving Praises

Praise lies upon a higher plane than thanksgiving.

When I give thanks, my thoughts still circle around myself to some extent. But in praise my soul ascends to

self-forgetting adoration, seeing and praising only the majesty and power of God, His grace and redemption.

Ole Hallesby

This news couldn’t have come on a better day!

We learned two weeks ago that Matt and Grace are expecting.  They surprised us at our Family Dinner gathering as we celebrated the birthdays of Dad and Matt, who share the same birthday.  

Yesterday, they learned they are expecting twins!!

We are SO, SO happy and can only praise the LORD for His magnified way of giving to Matt and Grace this way! 

WOW!!

Two babies to add to our growing family of grandchildren!  I cannot wait to one day hear, LORD willing, their testimonies of His tender compassions and mercies, unfailing faithfulness, and abounding love!

Oh Father, You are magnified this day by Your granting of grace to be sustained in the hearts and lives of Matt and Grace.  They have waited for You, and Your hand has been soo very gracious and generous!!

We trust You will continue to sustain Baby A and Baby B as they grow within Grace’s womb, tucked under her heart for Your safe keeping and perfect provision!  

Father, May You be pleased to glorify Your name by the growth of these two precious babies!  We anticipate watching them grow!

Father, we ask for Your grace with abounding joy be granted to Matthew and Grace as they walk by faith and watch You at work during this season of their lives and Your praise!!

Oh Father, May Baby A and Baby B thrive to one day know You created them to bear Your image alone in this world, and until the day their souls are quickened and perfected by Your very own Son of their eternal fellowship and salvation! 

Matthew shared this praise to our family feed yesterday, and still it fills my heart this morning…

Psalm 28:6-7

Blessed be the LORD!

For he has heard the voice of my pleas for mercy. 

The LORD is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;

my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

❤️❤️❤️❤️

For Sylvia, With Love

 

“…To honor our parents we are to respect and revere them, to speak well of them and to treat them with kindness, gentleness, dignity, and esteem. We are to ensure they are cared for and even to make provision for them when necessary. 

Dennis Rainey says, “Honor is an attitude accompanied by actions that say to your parents, ‘You are worthy. You have value. You are the person God sovereignly placed in my life.” All of that and much more is bound up in this little word.

Tim Challies

Recently, Maxine, Mom’s previous caretaker while living independently came to visit her.  Maxine quickly endeared herself to us last year while Mom recuperated from Covid.  

Mom found such a kindred spirit in Maxine, and daily they shared time and stories of one another’s lives and families.  We learned of her, and she learned all of us.  She fast became a part of our family and loved us all like we were hers.

We miss her very much, but we continue to stay in touch, and especially enjoy her availability to visit.

It’s obvious, Maxine still genuinely loves Mom and sweetly honors her as she did while daily serving Mom last year. 

Her sweet countenance is an obvious mark of the Spirit that lives within her.  She and Mom grew very close for that reason. They shared a common faith and love for the LORD, and could oft be heard singing hymns together. 

I am sure there is not any greater or truer mark of one’s love for the LORD, of one who is growing in likeness of Jesus, than that they show love to others…

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:  just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. 

John 13:34-35

35 This passage is another love chapter on display for those who lack desire and capacity to Biblically love others.  Thank you, Father, for the gift of Maxine’s friendship and willingness to open herself up to loving us like You have loved us, sacrificially and faithfully! 

Thank you, Maxine, for showing us how to practically love our Mom while she also learned how to allow others to serve her. 

The LORD knew we needed your tender and compassionate care for Mom on display while daily dying to self.  Your capacity to love others continues to grow as you follow in His steps of laying down your life for others! 

Father, You have taught us how to selflessly and  generously love those You’ve called us to serve, especially those who are alone and lacking companionship. 

Please grow me and our family in Your love. 

A Father’s Prayer

 

Father, today [we]I bring to Thee
This boy of [ours]mine whom Thou hast made;
In everything he looks to [us]me;
In turn [we]I look to Thee for aid.

He knows not all that is before;
He little dreams of hidden snares;
He holds [our]my hands[hand] and o’er and o’er
[We]I find [ourselves]myself with fears.

Father, as this boy looks up to [us]me
For guidance, and [our]my help implores,
[We]I bring him now in prayer to Thee;
He trusts [our]my strength and [we] I trust Yours.

Hold Thou [our hands]my hand as [we]I hold his,
And so guide that [we]I may guide;
Teach [us]me, Lord, that [we]I may teach,
And keep [us]me free from foolish pride.

Help [us]me to help this boy of [ours]mine,
To be to him a [grandparent]father true;
Hold [us]me, Lord, for everything,
As fast [we] I hold [our]my boy for You.

 Mouzon Brabham

 Pilgrim Prayers.

I took liberty to add pronouns to this prayer so that one day our grandsons may know how we pray for them.  

It’s not always easy to know how to spontaneously pray, but with some intentional time and practice, we look for passages in Scripture and in books we read, written before our time by those whose hearts were turned toward the LORD in prayer for those they loved and discipled. 

We may not have as much of a constant presence or influence in our grandchildren’s lives, but our hearts are always turned in prayer for them when we think of them. 

Father, thank you for being a Present Help and for hearing our prayers for those we love and hold dear.  Thank you for calling us to this privilege! 

Oh how I remember hearing our fathers pray for us and our children, their grandchildren.  Thank you for such a gift to recall! 

We have watched Your hand at work in our lives, and we look forward to watching how You will continue to work in the lives of our children and grandchildren.