This Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for...thankful for my loving husband, wonderful family, caring friends, our health, our safety, happiness, and love. Thankful for my husband’s and younger sister's new jobs, my twin sister's blessing of a child, my grandfather's successful surgery; the list could go on and on. God has been so good and blessed my family so much this year.

And yet, as hard as it is to write this, my greatest moment of thanksgiving came at the greatest tragedy of the year. As I stood in a small country cemetery with tears streaming down my face after a horrible accident and a life ended too soon, I realized that even with all the earthly blessings I have received this year, the GREATEST blessing was the reassurance, the eternal Heavenly reassurance, I knew in my heart beside his grave. JESUS DIED for him and for me and for ALL of us! We are God's children and we, by the grace of God and by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, are saved. Saved!!! Words cannot even express how THANKFUL I am for such a sacrifice and a blessing! Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die." (John 11:25-26) Hallelujah! Though the pain, sadness, and loneliness are still so difficult to bear, we have such amazing comfort, strength, and peace because of what Jesus did for us. We know that we were "buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." (Romans 6:4) We know that "the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23) We know that "God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him...and so we will be with the Lord FOREVER." (1 Thessalonians 4:14,17b) Forever! Forever together with all our loved ones praising, rejoicing, and worshipping God our Father and Lord! Hallelujah!!! Thank You, Lord Jesus! You truly are our Savior, Redeemer, Comforter, and life-GIVING King! I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL!!!