Thankful Thursday

I had planned to post about a very special anniversary earlier this week, and never finished the post...but it is something I am very thankful for this week, so I'll share it here:

47 years ago this past Monday, my parents were married. They celebrated 44 anniversaries before my dad went to be with the Lord almost 3 years ago. I am so thankful for their marriage, in so many ways. I am thankful for the ways God worked in their lives and their marriage even before I was born. I am thankful that although they had both grown up in church, God brought them both to a saving relationship with Himself early in my childhood. I am thankful for the blessing of a Godly home, with parents who were committed to each other and to their children, and willing to sacrifice for what they believed God wanted for our family. I'm thankful for the example of a stable, godly marriage....it wasn't perfect, and neither were they...but their example of love and commitment has been a blessing to Billy and I both, as well as to others who watched them over the years. I'm thankful for the example they set in being involved in a church family. I'm thankful for parents who taught me from a tiny age about the Lord and His word, gave me a love for good music, and showed me the meaning of dependability and faithfulness. I'm thankful for parents who were willing to *go against the grain* back when most people had never *heard* of homeschooling to do what they felt was best for their children regardless of how *weird* most people thought it was. :) I'm thankful for parents who showed us the meaning of *family* by making sacrifices to care for aging parents.

I'm thankful for all the things that that anniversary reminds me of. For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Iris at Sting My Heart.