Overflow of Thanksgiving 2007

this was posted in april 2007

As a young woman, I made a decision early in life that I will never marry someone from the military or who works as a seaman. Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against this professions and I do have friends among them. It was just that I thought that there is no point in getting married and being separated from your spouse for a long period of time. It was a personal choice without any intention of offending anyone.

When I got married last year, I didn't have to confront the issue since I married a man who thinks our children should live with us until they finish a post graduate education. Obviously we share the same attitude towards family togetherness, with a slight difference in terms of the length.

Of course we both knew that there will be a short period that we will be away from each other, but we will eventually be together. What we didn't realize is that it will take us three months to complete the necessary documents plus another  month or so to process the application.

While I am not pointing fingers or shifting blames, I must admit that the past four months hasn't been easy. It seemed like forever. We've been waiting for two months now since we submitted our papers but the great divide between us doesn't seem to close anytime soon. At least that is how it looks. What with many cold, sleepless nights coupled with loneliness attacks.

But God do not operate based on our senses and his works should never be judged based on our feelings.
I have to admit that He seemed invisible, as if He had forgotten me or worst, He simply doesn't care. For two days those thoughts filled my mind. However, knowing God, I knew in the end that He is not to blame, that I will come crying before Him like always. But I also needed the secure feeling of assurance that He is indeed doing something. So for two days I ignored Him. I went to His word to confirm that He has no intention of getting back at me.

Inspite of my wavering faith and tremendous bouts with doubt, it didn't seem to shake God - for faithful is His name! He came in the form of my husband, whom I call the sermonator, -always speaking with wisdom, encouragement and love. He spoke through the weekend service, reminding me that I need to walk tall, stay above my circumstances and confess God's sustaining grace in this time of separation.

I thanked my friend who preached the Word and told him how he singled me out in his preaching. I knew it was God reminding me that He has not forgotten me!

I don't want to be known as a person who was so close to getting her prayers answered, except that I was always whining that God had to delay the answer, in order to correct my attitude. I would like to be His daughter who exercised her faith towards her faithful Father. I would like to be a wife who brings joy and pride to her husband and family.I would like to be someone who stood tall and held on to His maker just because he said Trust me in this. I would like to be a woman of faith who overflows with thanksgiving because it is the right thing to do.