Praise the Lord, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits–

who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

 

The Lord works righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.

 

He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the people of Israel;

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.

He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever;

he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.

For as high as the heaves are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;

as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him,

for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

the wind blows over it and it is gone

and its place remembers it no more,

But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children’s children–

with those tho keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.

 

The Lord has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.

 

Praise the Lord, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.

Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.

Praise the Lord, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the Lord, O my soul.   (Psl 103)

 

Using these life-giving words as a spring-board for prayer, we immediately go before the throne.  All of us, different people, different paths.  Most of us would not be friends if we had met in another life, in another way.

But the connective tissue of the Body is strong and we know we belong together.  We can feel it the way you feel your arm is connected to your body.  The kinship of the cross is solid and nothing else matters because there is love and acceptance here.  Your political views don’t matter, your social status doesn’t matter, your past. There is no judgement and we all link hearts and walk into the Holy of Holies to worship.

I listen to those around me, offering up words of praise, words of thankfulness because they are.  Or because the Word has prompted it. The gratitude and love exudes out and we lift them up together, offer them to our Father who has given us so much.  We want to give something back, but all we can do is breathe a small Thank You. 

It’s amazing to me that He delights in that small offering.

I don’t know what happens to me when I pray, but I don’t pray out loud for one reason:  I cry.  I can’t handle the pain, the sorrow, the brokenness of other people’s lives and when I take them to the Lord, I am overcome with emotion.  I usually end up blubbering through it, leaving everyone wondering what just happened.  So I quietly pray and use those times to listen and reflect.

Then, again from no where, one simple sentence was whispered to me as I sat there listening.

“I am thankful for my husband.” 

Immediately tears sprung in and my heart started racing.  Waves and waves of this thought came upon me, drowning me and all I could do was cry.  I couldn’t catch a breath, I couldn’t analyze it, think on it.  I could only accept it as the words drenched my thirsty soul.

I am thankful for him.  For his companionship, for his efforts, for his acceptance and the fact that he is still here.  He is steadfast and endures with me, usually silent, but there.  I am thankful that he is trying to make things better.

As these thoughts deluge me and leave me breathless, I try to focus back in on what is being said.  I didn’t want to stray away but God pulled me out to speak with me alone.  I wipe the tears and get refocused.  I want to shout it out from the top of my lungs, but I stay quiet and scream it in my mind.

I AM THANKFUL FOR MY HUSBAND!