Wednesday, December 4, 2013

My adult family portrait.


Back in August, I shared 'My Personal Testimony of Jesus Christ' and one of the things I wrote was:
"I can say without a shadow of a doubt, that the power of Jesus Christ has moved in my life in ways I never could have imagined."

I wrote that statement in the past tense but the reality is, God continues to move in ways I can't possibly imagine. It is humbling to try and explain the mysterious ways that I see God work at times. What I experienced this Thanksgiving holiday is no exception.  It was "more than all I could ask or imagine".  Why?  Because, as long as I can remember or know of, I've never spent a Thanksgiving holiday with both my mom and my dad - until this year.

Not unlike a lot of people, I don't have a memory bank full of memories with both my parents. No memories of Christmas', birthdays, special events, etc.  The handful of memories that I do have, fall in an entirely different category. However, this Thanksgiving holiday, both my parents traveled from their respective states to spend Thanksgiving in Arizona. I found myself making coffee for both my parents. I could hear both my parents talking at the table.  I would look up from what I was doing and see both my parents sitting in the room.  It was surreal.  Totally surreal.

One morning, as the 3 of us sat at the kitchen table, I shared a scripture that came to my mind that morning as I marveled at how God brought this special event together. Joel 2:25:
"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten"
They understood the verse and agreed. I shared my heart and told them why this time was so special for me. We each shared our hearts through tear filled eyes and together we shared God's sweet goodness. Then we prayed together.  Tears fill my eyes, even now, as I think about it.  Such a priceless gift of which I could never have even imagined.  

It gets better. ;)  All of my life, I've been missing something.  Something simple.  Just a picture - with me, my mom and my dad.   It's a picture I've never had. A picture that's been missing all my life. While my parents were here, my friend Lindsi Rian captured the picture I've been waiting 41 years to take. 


At this point, I'm just at a loss for words.  This is where my emotions get the best of me and I'm just overwhelmed by God's enormity and His tender love for me.  He knows me.  He knows my heart.  He knows about the constant longing for family that fills my heart.  And this Thanksgiving, He gave me the most Amazing Gift that Grace could give.. My family. 
"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20