Love.

Tonight I started remembering the lives of those precious little ones that I so deeply loved while working in the hospital. I don't really know what made me think of them, but they come and go in my memory and I am grateful for that. I am grateful for the memories of the little ones who changed my life forever.

I am in a good place in life right now. I love my job and I am thankful for rest. I am thankful for time away from seeing death daily through the faces of kids. But, it's similar to war, those precious faces never leave me. I think of them often. I think of their families often. I shed tears for them and I can't imagine how difficult waking up each day without them must be.

One thing that I am deeply grateful for is the depth of the love that I experienced while I worked with these kids. I didn't know my heart could go that deep, but God provided me with strength and hope that was ever sustaining. As I look back now, I see sadness but mostly I see joy. I am thankful for those smiles that are pressed on my heart forever. They changed me. They made me a better woman. They allowed me to see God's face in them every day even when they were facing death. And knowing that they're in heaven makes heaven more real to me.

Today I am thankful for:
31. God's redemption
32. children's laughter
33. memories and the ability to recount moments as difficult or precious as they may have been
34. loving parents and families
35. heaven and God's promises
36. tears of joy
37. life here on earth
38. eternal life beyond
39. the resiliency of kids
40. God's healing (despite whether it's on our terms or His)
41. the gift of health