Thanks To God

Truth is that I have been quite the Debbie Downer the past couple of days.  I think that everyone can attest to the fact that is it so hard to come back to reality after a week of Thanksgiving break, especially when one is so close to graduation.  Really, Thanksgiving break was such a tease this year.

Truth is that while I was home I had ample amounts of time that I could have used to dig into my Bible, spend the usual time in the morning and at night in prayer, and so forth.

Truth is that I didn't.  I didn't journal the whole week I was home which means that I didn't pray like I usually do.  I had one blissful afternoon where I laid down in a waterway taking a break from searching for my cow.  I laid there and just smiled and praised God for it all for a few minutes.  Basically that was all the praying I did all week.  I can say that without a doubt the quote, "One week without prayer makes one weak," rings true.  I came back to school lacking so much joy and feeling like everything was going wrong.

I was still kind of feeling that way this morning when I was trudging off to class.  When I reached into my pocket for a glove, I pulled out a wadded up piece of paper from a church service around this time last year.  I remember shoving it in my pocket last year because I wanted to share it.  Who knew that I would finally be sharing it about a year later?

Thanks To God

August Storm

1891

Thanks to God for my Redeemer,

Thanks for all Thou dost provide!

Thanks for times now but a memory,

Thanks for Jesus by my side!

Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,

Thanks for dark and stormy fall!

Thanks for tears by now forgotten,

Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,

Thanks for what Thou dost deny!

Thanks for storms that I have weathered,

Thanks for all Thou dost supply!

Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,

Thanks for comfort in despair!

Thanks for grace that none can measure,

Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside,

Thanks for thorns their stems contain!

Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,

Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!

Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,

Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!

Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,

Thanks through all eternity!

Thank you for it all.  Thank you for still being there even when I put you on hold.  Thank you for taking me back time after time.  Thank you for your mercies that are new every morning.  Thank you.