Lessons Learned :: Thanksgiving

So I'm learning a lot from both the Lord and my son this week. Especially during prayer time. I've mentioned here briefly that my littlest brother, Kevin, was seriously ill a few weeks back. I've got a whole Lessons Learned post that I need to do on that ordeal but haven't got it ready. It was rough for his wife, my parents and siblings to watch him suffer as he did. It also took a real toll on our kids, especially Joel.

To say that the Thai Tornado loves his uncles, is a major understatement. He absolutely adores them. He doesn't know Jason's brother, Brent, quite as well. Still, he does so great with him and is always excited to be with him. Keith and Kevin? My brothers? Forget about it. He's plumb dumb nuts over them. And he took it really hard when Kev was sick. He saw him at the hospital once and it really affected him. So he began to pray daily for Kevin to be better. At meal times, bedtime and anytime...he prayed for Kevin.

His prayers as of late have turned to thanksgiving. Kevin has been on the mend for a couple weeks and is doing sooo much better. Still not 100%, but more or less back to his old self again. So Joel's first line to every single prayer these days is, "Thank you for my K-bo be better." Here are a few recent ones ::

"Thank you for my K-bo be better. I 'wuv' K-bo. I be tall like my K-bo one day. Thank you for my Keith. Amen."

"Thank you for my K-bo be better. Thank you for my Keith and my Pops build our house. Thank you for my Honey who pops my toes. Amen."

"Thank you for my K-bo be better. Thank you for Riley Jack come to my house tomorrow. Thank you for my Nana and Dandaddy come to my house tomorrow. Little boy hit me Chick-fil-A. That no nice. Thank you hit no more. Amen."

So as you might have guessed, a little boy hit Joel at Chick-fil-A tonight. We were there with Veldon and Tara and our boys were playing on the indoor playground with Sydney and several kids we didn't know. Evidently, Joel got hit in the face. Who knows if he deserved it or if it was even an accident. But Syd corroborated the story that Joel hadn't done anything nor did he retaliate. Which is great news since sometimes he can have a quick temper. And while praying before bed. Joel prayed for the little boy who hit him tonight...or maybe he was complaining to God or even tattling on him! lol. Either way, he knew that he could use that time during prayer to bring it up. I'm sure there is a lesson in there somewhere.

We all have people who hurt us or are mean to us. We've all hurt others and been mean to others. It's who we are. People, plain and simple. But our God listens to our prayers when we come before Him and bear all. Whether we're the victim or the perpetrator of the hurt, He stands ready to answer and hear and love us. It's a joy to see Joel respond in this way. Even if his motives weren't clear. His English is still so broken, it's hard to tell what he really meant by his prayer. But I'm grateful that he knew that prayer was the right thing to do. And that his prayers are full of thanksgiving. Even for things that have passed. Kevin is well. Yet Joel still says thank you to God every single day. Sometimes I'm guilty of forgetting to continue to say thank you to God for the great things Has has done in our lives, especially things that are long passed. But Joel is doing his best to remind me. Thankfulness in prayer...lesson learned.

"The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;

to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!"

Psalm 50:23