366 Days of Gratefulness ~ Day 57

Last night as I listened to Nathan while he was expressing the anger and hurt for his friend, I was reminded once again how blessed I am to be his wife.  This friend is currently going through a devastating time in her marriage.  Nathan's heart is aching for her, and he has righteous anger toward her husband.  All through the night the Lord has flooded my mind with all reasons I have to be grateful for in Nathan.  We have been through so much in the 18 years we have been together.  There have been so many times when many men would have just walked away.

I am blessed.

As I was watching the sunrise this morning and being reminded of God's unfailing love for us, I thought about Caleb's sermon on Sunday.  Toward the end of his sermon he used the illustration of how we can't look directly at sun.  However, we can look directly at the moon, and the moon is a reflection of the sun.  He asked us to consider if we are a reflection of God's son.  When I look at Nathan that's exactly what I see.

I am blessed.

Nathan's love for our Heavenly Father has given him such a tender heart.  He cares so much for others.  When they are joyful, he is joyful.  When they hurt, he hurts.  Over the years I've watched so many come to him in time of need.  My brother said one time, "When Nathan is around you get this feeling like everything is going to be okay.  He makes you feel safe."  I concur.

I am blessed.

He is dependable.  He is trustworthy.  He is honest.  He is patient.  He is kind.  He is respectful.  He is longsuffering.  He loves his friends.  He loves his family.  He loves Jesus.

I am blessed.

He knows he's not perfect.  He understand his desperate need for Jesus ... a Saviour ... a Redeemer.

I am blessed.

Over the past four years he has spent days at a time sleeping in a chair by my hospital bed.  He has sat quietly by my bed hours at a time asking me every once in awhile, "What can I get you?"  When I was in the hospital 100 miles away from our home, he traveled back and forth every day dividing his time between me and our girls.  He has had to take on such a heavy load in our household.  He has had to help bathe me and dress me.  He has held me when I've sobbed and listened to me when I have screamed in frustration and anger.  He has been my encourager and my biggest cheerleader.  He has helped me off the floor when I've fallen.  He has been there ... day in and day out ... doing whatever was best for me.  Never once has he complained.  I am here ... I love you ... I want to help you ... I do this because I want to ... we will get through this together.  Those are the things he has said to me a million times over the past four eighteen years.

I am blessed.

Nathan is a gift from the Lord Jesus that I often take for granted.  I often fail to say, "thank you".  I often forget how blessed I am to have him by my side.  So when I hear the hurt in his voice for a friend who is struggling in her marriage and I read a Facebook status of a friend who is devastated because her marriage is ending divorce, I find myself being reminded of all the reasons I have to be grateful in him.  I am reminded of how deeply I love him and how deeply he loves me.  I am grateful, honored and humbled to be his wife.

I am so very blessed.