More Thankful

November 19, 2015 | By Chuck

"More Thankful" As I have just completed 13 sessions of Grief Share (14 counting the holiday session) and now prepare for Thanksgiving, I do so with a renewed spirit of thankfulness. I chose to get involved with the Grief Share ministry to help others who have suffered loss and are hurting and grieving. As I look back over the last 14 weeks, I realize how much Grief share has helped and changed me. Yes, I said change. Grief Share has changed me a lot. Of course, Grief Share did what it was designed to do and that is to equip me to handle my grief. I've preached many funerals over the years and some were even family members and yet I still learned so much about grief from Grief Share. Grief Share taught me to be more thankful. Hearing all the stories of personal loss and thinking about my own story helped me to become more thankful. This life, as difficult as it can be, is precious. Next to my relationship with God, there is nothing more important than my family, church family and friends. I'm truly thankful for my wife and the time we spend together. I'm thankful for my three kids and the things I'm privileged to share with them. I'm thankful for my church family and the way we worship, love and laugh together. I'm thankful for my friends and the history we share. I don't know how else to word it, I'm just more thankful. I know now how easy it is to take the most important things in this life for granted. I never thought I was guilty of that until now. I never want to take anyone or anything for granted again. I know how temporary this life is and I'm thankful for each day that I have here and for those I get to spend it with. I'm thankful for God who loves me anyway. I'm thankful I can talk to God and it still amazes me that not only does He listen to me but He actually wants to hear from me. "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."(I Thess.5:18) I am excited about Thanksgiving and I'm more thankful than ever. Chuck Ball