Thanksgiving

She has been in pain for so long. The cancer has invaded her lungs, her abdomen, and into her bones.

“Hallelujah,” she says as she wakes.

She fights off the cold and the nausea. Every bite of food a triumph and every sip of drink she takes a victory.

“Hallelujah,” she exalts. “Every morning is a blessing of a new day.”

“Hallelujah,” she praises in tears, “when I am in pain, I have morphine to stop the hurt, but where was this luxury when He was nailed to the cross?”

"Send some rain, would You send some rain? Because the earth is dry
and needs to drink again. And the sun is high and we are sinking in
the shade. Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud? Let the
sky grow black and send some mercy down. Surely You can see that
we are thirsty and afraid. But maybe not, not today. Maybe You'll
provide in other ways, and if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude for lessons learned in how to
thirst for You. How to bless the very sun that warms our face, if You
never send us rain.

Daily bread, give us daily bread. Bless our bodies, keep our children
fed. Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight. Wrap us up and
warm us through, tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs. Let us
slumber safe from danger's view this time. Or maybe not, not
today. Maybe You'll provide in other ways. And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude. A lesson learned to hunger
after You, that a starry sky offers a better view if no roof is

overhead. And if we never taste that bread.

Oh, the differences that often are between everything we want and
what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace. Move our hearts to hear a
single beat between alibis and enemies tonight. Or maybe not, not
today. Peace might be another world away. And if that's the case . . .

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude, for lessons learned in how to
trust in You. That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
in abundance or in need. And if You never grant us peace. But Jesus
would You please."

------- Nichole Nordeman

Miss you aunt Rita, thank you for being an example of thanksgiving.