"Bless the LORD, o my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."

This morning I awoke grateful. My heart is full. My soul has been restored, in small ways. For the last 33 years or so, I have taken for granted the fact that my family chooses to gather once every 3 years. Not only do I get to see my immediate family (this year it was just the "Original Six" as I like to call it...no sister in-laws, brother in-laws, nieces, or nephews), but I also get to see COUSINS. First cousins, second cousins, third...who knows...they are all just cousins to me! I don't know what you do during your family reunions, but as I was telling a few stories of my reunion to my gracious friend who picked me up at the airport yesterday, I was struck by the fact that our family does not "mess around" so to speak. We go all in. We get t-shirts. We get tote bags. We create cookbooks. We have slideshows. We have a Rook tournament (you are looking at (theoretically) the girl who lost in the last game of the semi-finals...no big deal). We have family pictures. We have talent shows (which, ironically, only my sis and I took to heart...as we were the winners of the show...and also the only contestants.) And at the end of it all, we have a church service to honor the One who has brought us together as a family. One year my cousin Mike led the church service. One year I played guitar so we could sing a few hymns. This year my brother Joel led the service, because, in his words, "When you have been touched by the grace of God, you have something to share." (or something like that....) Joel shared that when his wife Lora gives his son Beto a treat during Tea Time every afternoon, Beto turns to Lora and says, "Thank you," in his sweet almost-2-year-old voice. Lora mentioned to Joel once that she just loves giving to Beto, because she loves to hear him say "Thank you." "Isn't that just like our Heavenly Father?" Joel asked us in the service. He read the story of the 10 healed men in Luke 17, in which these 10 lepers were on the outskirts of society, marginalized, and in need. Jesus is coming into town, and the men cry out to him, saying "Heal us!" Jesus has compassion and heals the 10 men of their disease. After being healed, only 1 of the men comes back to say "Thank you, Jesus!" Jesus asks the man, "Weren't there 10 of you? Where are the other 9?" Kind of like, "Why aren't the other guys saying thank you, too?" That day, the one who came back to thank Jesus was said to be "made whole." Joel led us in an activity he so teacherly called, "Think, Pair, Share," in which we thought for a moment about that which we were thankful over the last 3 days of the reunion, last month, and last year. Then we turned to someone and shared with them. After sharing with a partner, that person listening would respond, "Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, His love endures forever." Joel asked for volunteers to share their moments of gratitude with the whole group. A few shared - cousins of mine, and my sister too. It was such a special time. I can just imagine God looking at our family and smiling at that moment - saying, "Yes. You came back to say 'thank you' to me!" As I was wiping away my streams of tears, Joel calls me up front to help him lead a song in Spanish. I stumbled up front and promptly replied, "I forgot the words." Classic. :) Fortunately, the song is short, but powerful. It says, "Gracias. Gracias Senor. Gracias mi Senor, Jesus," over and over. This morning when I woke up, that is the song that was playing in my head. Gracias, Senor, Gracias mi Senor, Gracias mi Senor, Jesus. Thank you, thank you Lord, thank you Lord, my Jesus. So simple, yet so powerful when we take the time to ponder all that He has done. Finally, the eldest of the family gave a benediction so sweet that I had tears in my eyes once again. My great Aunt Lydia, who is 98, recited the words of Psalm 23 to us, and then another verse from 1 Corinthians 2:9 that says, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived the things that God has prepared for those who love Him." If that does not leave you feeling full, I don't know what else in all the world will! After the service, Heidi and I were requested to perform our talent one more time, you know, as the winners and all. :) I would have to say our second performance was even better than the first, even if Heidi knocked her cup off the table and onto the floor. :) This morning I am grateful. For all the things that He has done, and for the things that He will do that I cannot even imagine. Bless the LORD, o my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.