Thankful Thursday - Small Graces

My Thankful Thursday this week is not going to be in traditional list form. I hope that Sonya at Truth for the Journey will let me slide! I'm pretty sure I'll get at least five things..

Today, I'm especially grateful for small graces. I know that I am a daughter of the King of Kings and that God loves me but occasionally, especially when I'm hurting, I need to be reminded.

I am grateful that Tatyana's heart cath went well. She was feeling a teeny bit better and ate a bit of dinner tonight. I am grateful that God gave me the opportunity to be there and sit with Chantelle this morning. While I was there, JT, Tatyana's dad, bought me a Pepsi. He didn't have to and it was a small thing for which I am grateful.

At the hospital, I had the opportunity to check-in and visit with the nurses and other staff whom we met while on Seth's journey. I'm always blessed by the hugs and warm smiles we get when up on the floor. It's a small grace that often feels larger!

Upon leaving the hospital today, I had no money for parking and the ATM was broken. I was given some parking validation stickers but the parking attendant said they were not valid. In the middle of explaining our situation to the parking attendant, rummaging through my purse, I DID find $5 and the parking attendant just waved me through anyway. (Yes, I told her I'd found the money to pay). It was a small grace.

I took the kids up to our local library this evening. I spent 45 minutes looking for our library cards before I gave up and decided we'd ask for replacements. The librarian was concerned that if they were JUST misplaced, we would waste the $2 replacement fee (per card). I told her that I was sure they WERE just misplaced. (I changed out wallets shortly after Seth went to Heaven and can't find the old one right now). But, I said, we lost a child in October and there's a good chance I'll never find them among the piles of stuff. I did NOT tell her for sympathy. It's just the truth of our situation. She waived the fees. Another small grace.

And finally, there's this:



Someone left a balloon at Seth's marker on Memorial Day. It wasn't us. I just tonight found out who it was. Remember Mary and baby N? The baby they lost is at the same cemetery as Seth and her family left the balloon.. A small grace. "Mary" sent me a note tonight, letting me know it was them, and saying that their family grieves with us. I know that to be true and I'm VERY grateful for her presence in my life.

And I think now is a good time to share. "Baby N"? The N stands for Nehemiah which means God's comfort. I am SO thankful for God's COMFORT!