Momma's Got a Dude's Name: 30 Days of Thankfulness: November and Unanswered Prayers

Today I begin the 30 Days of Thankful link-up with the beautiful Crystal Michelle Mess.

Day 1's topic is "November."

And let me go ahead and get on my soapbox about November.

November is not my favorite month, but it is up there. I tend to like summer months that are themed around beers around the pool and warm weather. And November tends to be the beginning of cold weather and cold makes me cranky.

However, November gets in my top 4 months because the theme is thankfulness.

Here is my shout out to the haters that say, "We should be thankful year-round."

These are the same people who say, "I don't need a certain date of the year to dictate when I'm going to try to make myself a better person."

Sure. You're right. But we aren't typically thankful year-round and this is a month focused on thanks. Just like we should be interested in Black History year-round, as it turns out, we aren't and February is a great time to learn because we are surrounded by it.

So shut up and be thankful. :-) Or just shut up and let the rest of us.

Basically the reason I love November is simple: Thankfulness.

No matter what we are going through, we have a lot to be thankful for. Even if the world is crashing down around you, we still have toilet paper, right? We live in a world where deoderant is prevalent, don't we? Anybody want to send a shout out to lice shampoo?!

Think about it. What oddities are you super thankful for? Here are a few of mine:

Funny bandaids
Sarcasm
Email
Online banking
Bacon
Easy access to bacon
Benadryl
Mirena
Electric dryers
Memory foam
Bras!

I could go on and on. Thank you, November, for making me think about the things I should be thankful for!

Day 2: Un-answered Prayers

This one is tough for me because I don't remember many prayers that have gone unanswered. I've never been a pray-er for specific things. I tend to pray for understanding, peace, and "God's will be done."

I think a big reason for this outlook on my part is that I don't subscribe to the prevalent Christian thought that God is in control of everything, including bringing people to cancer and death.

Do I understand why Justin has lost both of his parents to cancer and he is just 31?

No. Absolutely not.

Do I believe God did that to them?

No. Absolutely not.

So my prayers tend to be, "Make the best of this situation. Prepare our hearts to use this for your glory. Provide a way for this situation to show love to other people who need it."

Going back to the issue of Justin's mother. She had three rounds of cancer and it finally took her at the age of 60.

That was not of God. And you won't convince me that it was.

But do you know what was God?

The awareness that came from it. Several people donated the gift of life by registering to be Bone Marrow Donors on behalf of her. People put themselves aside and took time out to show her love and love for others. She started a movement. That was powerful and that was an answered prayer.

A good friend of mine was selected as a bone marrow match for someone going through blood cancer. He has answered the call.

That is an answered prayer.

I do believe that God has his timing and it is more wise than my own. I am aware that I want things either now or yesterday and I do not exercise patience like I should. But instead of focusing on unanswered prayers and trying to figure out what they are and how they have blessed me, I tend to focus on the answered ones...

Medicine for my mom that keeps her leukemia in remission...
Other blood cancer patients lives saved because Pat's disease raised awareness for others to become heros...
The fact that I can call so many of my friends heros...

Which prayers of yours are you thankful for? Both answered and unanswered?

Do you want to join the thankfulness movement? Below are the days and the themes for each. Link up with Crystal Michelle and share the thanks!