Thanks for the Unlovely

On Christmas break from my freshman year at college, I was in another family's home for one night. (Their daughter had taken me most of the way home.) Above the sink hung a wonderful plaque, and sadly I cannot remember the actual words, but I remember the basic premise of the plaque.

It gave thanks for the dirty dishes, for it meant she had food to prepare for her family. It gave thanks for so many dirty dishes because it meant she was surrounded by many family members. And it gave thanks for the dishes because well, it meant she had dishes.

I've often wished I could find that plaque. I have never seen another one, but I would love to have just such a thing to hang in my kitchen.

However, in the spirit of that plaque, I will give thanks for the "unlovely" things in my life that at first would not spring to mind to be thankful for.

1. For disobedience and defiance of children - their sin of rebellion is not hidden from me, and I can pray for wisdom in how to deal with it. You cannot pray for sins you do not know your children have.
2. For the hurt of my marriage troubles - it gave God an open door to so many other things in my life!
3. For not getting that curriculum last year when we should have had the money- because then God laid it on the heart of a good friend to just give me hers, as she wasn't going to use that curriculum after all. He answered my desires in a much more wonderful way than I could have ever thought.
4. For losing the quality of my devotional time this week - I've been trying to rearrange my schedule, which meant doing my devotions while the kids were up. That did *not* work. It just showed me even more how much I love my quiet time with Him, and confirmed some things I was turning over in my mind.
5. For the lack of my husband being with us right now - less laundry! (LOL I couldn't resist. But truly, I miss him horribly. I love him so very much!)