 |
Hmmm, let's see, what AM I thankful for?
by Peggy McIlveene
|
Click on thumbnail for larger image.
| In everything give thanks: for this is the will of Elohim in Messiah Yahshua concerning you (I Thessalonians 5: 18). |
OK, Father, this is NOT going to be easy, because there is NO way I can even beGIN to thank You for all You've given to me. But I will try to make a stab at it, for nobody deserves it more than You and Your most precious Son, our Messiah Yahshua! So here goes...
For growing me in your Spirit with each passing day. The changes in me, and in my precious husband, are nothing short of phenomenal! The things that used to be priorities for us (partying, drinking, carousing, smoking pot, dressing WAY immodestly, cursing like a sailor, need I go on?) did a 180 degree turn! What's fun to us now (our priorities) completely changed!
In 2001, when Richard had his first of three bypass surgeries on his heart, You helped him quit smoking cigarettes and drinking... suddenly both things were odious to him. He had been a heavy smoker and heavy drinker for over 35 years at that time.
In 2002, You totally took away my habit, as well as my desire, to drink liquor (30-year HEAVY drinking habit).
In 2003, we both quit smoking pot.
In 2005, we discovered that the land our landlady was charging us for (that the mobile home we were leasing from her sat on) was not really her land, and that we were going to have to move! Our credit by this point was horrid! But He found us our home (a shell home to start with) on 2 acres of land for the lowest price you can imagine! This was the YEAR BEFORE the land started increasing in price... almost doubled!!! To see our home before and after Richard worked on it, click HERE. My family fusses constantly about how far we live from them, but I would trade it for anything! We LOVE it here, and we love our home and land... and so do our dogs, Rusty & Kayla!
In 2006, I quit smoking cigarettes (35-year habit)... click HERE to read about it. I began to drink up to 12 cups of coffee (complete with Splenda and lots of creamer), got extremely hooked on Commit Lozenges (which I used to quit smoking), to the point where I had to get on the patch to get off the Commits. But I have never touched another cigarette since then... not even a single puff! Then when Richard became ill yet again with his heart, I stayed with my GF Linda, who still smoked at the time. So to keep me from wanting to smoke again, she was giving me Nicorette gum... which I also got hooked on! It seems never-ending with me! :) I also began packing on the weight! :(
In December 30, 2006, Richard had his third, and by far worst, open-heart surgery! He was in a medically induced coma for 7 days, and nearly died. Click HERE to read about that. He even had a vision while he was in the coma... click HERE to read about his vision.
When Richard came home from the hospital (after 25 LONG days!!!) on January 11, 2006, he was a sick puppy! His surgeon told him that he needed to see him to remove the stitches in 2 weeks. He told us both that if he drove and got into an accident and the steering wheel hit his chest, it would kill him. At this time, I had not driven in 27 years due to a near fatal accident when I was 27 years old; it by all looks, should have killed me, my son Chris (3 months old at the time), and my daughter Shelly (7 years old at the time), and it frightened me to even consider driving! When I heard the surgeon say that, I told the Lord, "Father, enough of my nonsense! PLEASE take away my fear of driving and help me yet again!" From that moment on, I have driven 100 miles a day (3 hours/day). The day that I took Richard to have his stitches removed (my very first drive in 27 years!), it was near my work (55 miles away from home), it was pouring down rain, and the weather man had forecasted possible sleet!!! Talk about a quick indoctrination!!! He had several more appointments there before I went back to work, and when I did return to work, I began driving myself to/from, Monday - Friday... gone from the house at LEAST 11 hours/day! HalleluYAH, but He is SO faithful!!!
In June 2007, I totaled my car. Click HERE to see photos of it! NO ONE could believe I walked out of that car alive, and especially with NO INTERNAL INJURIES!!! Tell ME Father Yahweh doesn't take care of His own!!! Before I had to return to work about 3 weeks after my accident, He had already found me an HHR... despite our bad credit!!!
Earlier this year, I received a HUGE raise in salary... the first raise our company had given in about 5 years!
In February 2008, Father Yahweh found the perfect job for Richard... 20 minutes from home! He will be starting a brand new job with the same company this Monday! That job change will give him a $2/hour raise, change his hours from (currently) 3-11 PM, 7 days/week, to 7 AM - 5 PM, Monday-Friday, holidays OFF!!! HalleluYAH, halleluYAH, halleluYAH!!!
A month ago, my doctor wrote a prescription for Phentermine diet pills, which my coworker's wife used to lose all her weight when she quit smoking. I have already lost over 10 pounds, and can fit into clothes I've been unable to wear since I quit smoking over 2 years ago!!! They curb your appetite more than anything I've ever seen, and thanks to Father Yahweh, no noticeable side effects! YEA!!! Since Richard is still a Security Guard for the rest of the week, he will unfortunately have to work Thanksgiving day and Friday, so we can't have a family get together this year. But I plan to take photos when Richard and I go to his company Christmas party on December 13th. In fact, they are going to have a photographer to take family photos! At that time I will show you photos before I quit smoking, after I packed on the weight, and the new slimmer me! YEA, I'm SO excited!!!
Most of all, of course, I am grateful for the sacrifice His precious Son made for me so that I could have eternal life. I am also eternally grateful for the incessant care and love He shows to His children, and always will!
Well, I guess I'd best close for now; as I think of more items, I will add them.
Love to you in Him... and most especially, my love to Father Yahweh and Yahshua forever!
Peggy