Thanksgiving Family Picture

This is a picture of (almost) everyone on my side of the family.  Unfortunately, my husband was ill and isn't in the picture as he was at home in bed.  :-(  Anyway, from left to right, top to bottom, this picture shows: Me; my oldest son - Eddie; my sister's oldest son - Sean; he is holding my youngest son, Michael; The big guy in the back is my older brother, David; his wife, Natalia is holding their youngest daughter, Gracie; Nellie is next to Natalia - she is Tal's mother and lived in Bulgaria until just a few years ago; Back to the left - my hand is on my second-born son, Dakota's shoulder; next to him is Maurissa, who is my favorite babysitter and my sister's daughter; right between those two is my darling Daniel (my fourth); my sister Maureen is the bodyless head right there :-)  My mother - the grandmother to all 13 of the kids in the picture is front and center!; next to her is Ben, an incredible young pianist and my brother's first-born son; in front of Ben is my baby girl, Bianca (fifth); and smooshed between Bianca and my Aunt Eileen is Ian - David's youngest son; as I've already indicated - the end of that row is my Aunt Eileen.  Back to the left again is Jessica, my oldest daughter (third); Aaron, in the red shirt, is my sister's 'baby'; and finally there is Jenna, my brother's daughter, who really loves having family over - she was in heaven!

Thanks to God for My Redeemer

We sang this song in church this morning, and I thought that the words were so perfect - I just couldn't wait to get home and post them in my blog!  Ever have a song just strike the right chord in your life?  Sometimes I need a nudge to bring some deep down knowledge back up to the surface.  It is easy to be thankful for happy times and good things, but we are called to be grateful and peaceful in all things.  Take the thorns with the flower.  At the end of the day "All things work together for good for those who love God".   (see Romans 8:28)

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 spring-time, Thanks for dark and dreary 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 provide!

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 way-side, 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 for all eternity!  Amen.

What a great hymn!  I love this time of year when we become so thoughtful and considerate of all that we have to be thankful for.  God help us all to remember that we have so much to be grateful for all year long.