Family: My Greatest Gift

benefactor [ben-uh-fak-ter]

n. He who confers a benefit

someone who provides a gift

Sunday, April 15, 2012.

A day like any other day.  I could have never guessed that God had what seemed like a thousand blessings in store for me today.

We woke early.  My love holds my hand before I even get out of bed and whispers, "Happy Birthday".

Today I renew my count of 1000 Gifts...

Gift #1158 I am so blessed. Do I deserve such a wonderful man?

Shower. Smoothie.

#1159 Healing goodness for my body. Thank you Lord 

Get ready. Put out the fires... Then Worship.


#1160 Sweet Worship.
#1161 Thank you Lord for Sunday, my favorite day of the week.

Oh, how much I look forward to worship on Sunday mornings.  What a journey we went through to find our Home Church.  The wait, though difficult, was SO worth it.  We waited for years to find a place where the Spirit of the Lord consumed our hearts and we felt free to worship with abandon the Lord God Almighty and His Son Jesus Christ!  How long we waited on the Lord to guide us to a church where our Pastor surrenders his whole heart, mind, soul and strength, everything he is and every things he has for this lost and dying world.  


# 1162 For a church to call home. We are blessed!
#1163 A place to worship with abandon.
#1164 How my children melt into peace when they get to church.

Everyone is up.  Time to get rolling.  I lay my princesses clothes out. She is still asleep, strewn across the bed, little foot hanging off the edge. The boys are in a good mood this morning. Thank you Lord.  My tender heart, his shirt is wrinkled.  So wrinkled it had pleats. How will he react?  "You are going to have to change shirts, my love."  'Ugh."  The drama begins.  Anxiety, frustration, irritation.  He's still learning CALM.  Quite frankly, so am I.

#1165  I love my little bed hog.
#1166 Thank you Lord the boys cooperated this morning and thank You for teaching me and him how to survive these emotions.

I must get to his heart.  We're running late.  I don't want to be late and have to sit in the overflow. I haven't even opened a present yet. Selfish thoughts invade.  I stop. I speak to his heart.  "You must get control. You can't let what you're feeling take over and ruin your day.  You know it doesn't turn out pretty."  Though still frustrated he tries.  Bless his sweet heart, he has come such a long way.  It takes a few times, and we are rushing out the door, but he begins to soften.


#1167 Praise the Lord we are in so much better a place than we were. 
#1168 For the peaceful ride that calms the soul.


Church was nothing short of amazing.  Our Pastor announces, "Over 3000 gave their life to Christ last Sunday during Easter services. Praise the Lord!  Do you know how many gave their life to Christ after the first message after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, over 3000.  To God be the Glory!"  What a gift to hear what God is doing in the body of Christ.


#1169 Thank you Lord for those precious lives. Those miracles! 
#1170 I must remember those 30 plus that said, "I never intend on giving my life to Christ".  Lord, capture their hearts.


The service is ending and our Pastor does something new.  So many surrendered their hearts Resurrection Sunday.  So many need a renewing in the washing of the water of Baptism.  He announces, Baptism, today, now, for anyone ready to spontaneously receive the Believers Baptism, TODAY!  We watch, as hundreds flood to be baptized.  The Spirit of the Lord floods the hearts of the Body of Christ and I am overwhelmed at what God is doing today, on my Birthday.  What a gift to watch these men, young and old, women, young and old, children, give theirs lives so fully.


#1171 Thank you Lord for allowing my family to see these miracles.  Lives surrendered.  Hearts overcome with joy!  Thank you Lord.
#1173 A Pastor who is faithful to listen to the Spirit of God.


Birthday lunch awaits.  Mom, Jim, Granddaddy.  They will all be waiting at P. F. Changs as reservations were at 11:00.  Chris went to so much trouble to make sure I had the perfect birthday lunch.  Who knew what surprises lay ahead?


#1172 Chris going to so much trouble to make my day special.  


We arrive.  There's mom, waiting.  We hug and rush in to our table.   Chris tells me our table is in the back. Then I see Granddaddy.  "Look Anna, there's Granddaddy, come on."  And then I see... Uncle Bob and Aunt Christy.  My heart races, JOY.  I am so happy to see them.  Then.  Wait a minute there is another person.  Who is that lady?  I hear her voice and I know.  It's my Aunt Jimmie Kaye.  Aaaaaa!!!!  I scream, "Aunt Jimmie.  You're here! How did you get here?"  Chris knew how much I would love to have all of my family here and what a blessing for Jimmie Kaye to come so far to share this time with us.

#1173 The gift of family, greater than any gift a person can give.  

You see my sweet Aunt Jimmie is from Tennessee.  She is sick, some days very sick.  She has a wicked disease called Rheumatory Arthritis (RA).  Her mother had it and it destroyed her.  It is a demon that has tried  to steal life out of one of the most beautiful, vibrant, fun, loving people I know, yet, she remains filled with joy.  She has not been out of the house much accept to go to work when she can and the store.  And my wonderful husband figured out how to get her here to be here on my birthday.  Words can never describe the joy of seeing all of those face around the table, there, for me.

#1174 Granddaddy, feeling good enough to come and share his love with all of us. Lord heal his body.
#1175 Uncle Bob and Aunt Christy surprising me and being able to share the joy of Miracles from church this morning as they participated in the services as well and watched baptism after baptism and rejoiced with the washed!
#1176 My sweet mom for loving me as her own. She and her Jim, helping My Love coordinate all of this Gift to me, sharing and recording all of the love and fellowship.  
#1177 Aunt Jimmie Kaye, the medicines are working and she is more herself, though not completely, but her joy and laughter and spunkiness - they light up the room.  A gift.
#1178 My children whose hearts are full of love.  My sweet princess who shares her love so abundantly.  My boys.  Such gentlemen reaching out to their family and sharing in the moment instead of retreating in hormonal or anxiety ridden bodies.  They engage, tender heartedly.  I am a blessed mother.
#1179 My love.  He did this all for me.  I am a truly blessed wife.

They all made me feel so loved.  We laughed and talked and ate.  It was wonderful fellowship and the best Birthday.  And the gifts didn't end there.  My mother blessed me with art, a creation of my youth, framed as though Van Gogh himself had painted the picture.  Gorgeous, even if I did paint it myself. My husband blessed and my children on top of that. At the end of our day my aunt calls to share another gift.  Her daughter, our cousin, was one of the 1109, who were baptized at church today.  Rejoice! Another miracle.  Another gift!

The rest of our day was filled with more laughter, fellowship,  and fun. At the end of our day my aunt calls to share another gift.  Her daughter, our cousin, was one of the 1109, who were baptized at church today.  Rejoice! Another miracle.  Another gift! God knew what I needed on my birthday this year.  As my aunt has prayed over me "Lord give her a belly full of Joy".  That was my gift.  I was filled, to overflowing, with a belly full of joy and my greatest gift was my Family.

From My Heart to Yours,
Mindy B.
Revelation 12:11