(Un)Thankful Thusday (on Friday...again...)

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I do not want to be thankful today. Maybe that's why I have challenged myself to write thankful Thursdays; for days like today. Today I am blue. Discouraged. Swallowed whole by life.

I could spend this post by telling you about both of my parents, who uprooted a literal lifetime to move for a job that they both simultaneously lost this week. Just two months after moving. I could tell you about the absurd (double underline blogger, we need it!) parent who called and berated me for how I "mistreated" her child, who is no angel by the way, making me feel small, trounced on and not fit to teach. I could talk about a lot of things, but today I will choose to talk about the small things, cause sometimes that's all you have.

1) My brother-in-law landed a job at Starbucks. Which is great on several fronts. First, he's joining a noble family history. All four siblings have worked at Starbucks at some point. Plus also, he will be providing the household with a weekly pound of coffee, which he receives as a bit of an employee bonus. We desperately need this at our house. There are certain family members who do not function well without this stimulant. Also, he bought cake to celebrate. Yay cake!

2) My students were much better this week after a firmer hand and a few more smiles. Side note: however, this firmer hand is what cause that parent to loose it with me...

3) This is not a small thing. It is a huge thing. My father (remember, the one who just gave up everything he ever knew just to loose everything he had run towards two months later?) has joy. Where did that come from? On the phone today he said this 

"I dunno Jilly, I've been truly joyful. For the first time in a long time. I have joy. And not only that, but I'm getting talk about Jesus. People ask me how I'm doing I can honestly say I'm doing fine. They look at me cross-eyed, but we really are fine. I get to tell them that I count all things lost for the sake of Christ, even this."

I want that. Where can I get me some of that attitude? Is it his 62 years that make him so wise? Or is it something more. A deeply appreciated gift from the Lord. I have no doubt that he's being used by Him even now. How could God not make good use of such beautiful sentiment? For because of Christ, my wounded and mistreated father has Joy with a capital J.

Food for thought,
Jillian