Thankful Thursday

It's late here. Real late.
Beau and I are driving home from Sioux City which is about 3-3.5 hours away from Ames- it's 11:58pm.

Beaus grandpa is in the last few days- if not hours of his life. We drove up to see him probably what will be for the last time. We saw him a week ago on Christmas and had dinner and we knew he wasn't 100% but it all took a turn for the worse since then. It's hard to see people you love in a state you don't necessarily want to remember them in or you know is painful, and so unlike them.

That's where my Thankful Thursday comes in. I'm thankful that The Lord Jesus reigns in my heart. Beau and I were discussing earlier in the car ride about the last words Grandpa Lyle said to us, with pain and a lot of effort was able to ask us how our drive was. (Beau's aunt said Grandpa always worries about us on the road.) He then said, "We'll, I think I'm on my last leg. But I've lived a good long life."

We both silently cried. What is it like to be so close to the end of your life and know you're not returning to your home, your bed, have another birthday, Christmas, etc? We won't know, if we're conscious, until that day comes. We can't imagine that. Are you scared? Are you nervous? Sad? Ready because the pain will be over?

Were faced with a choice in our lives because our Creator gave us free will to choose life with Him- eternity in His presence....or to choose to live for ourselves, our own way, and eventually eternity apart from Him.... in that other place people use to "swear" or condemn the "Hitlers and Bin Ladens" to. Yet the Bible, God's WORD, tells us there is only one way to Heaven. You know, that place that everyone says everyone goes to..."a better place". But how do you know you or 'they' are going there after their last breath here on earth?

Jesus says only through Him. Somehow through my nasty, sinning, rotten, lying, selfish, prideful, rude, conceited self.....God sent his son a few thousand years ago to die on a cross to cover my sins. Completely wipe them away. Not that I'm not sinful still today or tomorrow...but that his grace, his blood shed, was the only way all of the above can "enter those pearly gates" after I take my last breath. I owe him my life here on earth because of the free gift he gave me. And I'm so willing to give it to him, it's such a measly offering back to him compared to what he did for me. But that's all he wants- and a peace that passes understanding, unending hope and joy, forgiveness, freedom comes with knowing Him. And that's better than anything this earth has to offer.

So when that day comes- a car accident, cancer, in my sleep, whatever it may be...when I close my eyes from this broken world I get to "open them" in the presence of my sweet sweet Jesus. And that's something I can't wait for. It's something I want to scream from the rooftops. It's something I want EVERYONE TO EXPERIENCE AND KNOW AND I WANT TO/NEED TO SHARE THIS WITH EVERYONE. I wanna see YOU in Heaven and spend eternity after this crummy life with Jesus in all His glory.


Mmmmm, that sounds good my friends. I'm praying for YOU and for Him to give me more boldness in sharing this gift....I promise you it will be the best one you'll ever receive. It's not too late. Run to him. He's waiting. Lets celebrate :)

That's what I'm thankful for this early Thursday morning.