Oh, Give Thanks

"So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, Will give You thanks forever;

We will show forth Your praise to all generations." Psalm 79:13

My heart is so full of gratitude, love, thanksgiving and praise for such a precious and special time visiting with my two aunts and my grandmother. My family has been blessed these last two weeks with a wonderful visit with my nephew Max....getting to know him as a young man who loves Jesus and is so humble and sincere....embarking on adolescence and the uncertainty, decisions and pressures that brings....but yet still being such a kid and watching my children and Max laughing together, being silly and just enjoying a cousin relationship.

I took Max to the airport on Monday afternoon and came home to my home filled once again, but this time with my two aunts from NY and my 88 year old grandmother.

These last two days we have enjoyed deep conversations, openness in our wonders and questions of life and God's role and part in our lives. Openly discussing what a "relationship with Jesus Christ" looks like and why does a God who loves us allow pain to enter our paths, what does heaven look like..... Questions that we don't have all the answers to, but questions that allow us to dig deeper into the richness, the majesty of God and our relationships. We spent time reminiscing about the past, pondering the future, catching up with each other's lives. We laughed, we cried, we enjoyed each other fully.

My aunts and grandmother embraced all my children and wanted to see their lives, their personalities, the little people that they are: they hunted for toads with Luke, they read to Faith and Jed, they bathed Faith each night, they listened to my boys rock the house on their guitars. we cooked together, we ate together, we sat together....they lived life with me and my husband, and all the craziness that envelops the Davis household each day! (whew....they survived...it can be quite crazy around here!)

We enjoyed an afternoon out yesterday doing adult things...antiquing and lunch at a sidewalk cafe in a nearby town. What a treat!! :)

And this morning, before they left....I got to sit with my grandmother and share my heart and seek forgiveness on a difficult time in my childhood...I needed her to know I was sorry and for her to know the love that I have for her and how deeply it runs in me. Thank you Lord Jesus for that opportunity. I am eternally grateful.

The generations....from Maxwell, to my aunts, to my grandmother....Lord, I give you thanks and praise.....my cup runneth over.

All of us....the generations...what a treasure

My grandmother (isn't she beautiful...if only I can age this gracefully)...and her great grandchildren

Me and my Aunt Pam, my grandmother and my Aunt Kay-too special for words!

May we all cherish each and every moment we are given to spend with loved ones... may we love each other as Jesus loves us! May we not hold back a part of ourselves...give yourself freely.

In HIS love and goodness-Stacy