Thank you God, when my pockets are empty and when they are filled...

As this year concludes at the end of day, I thank God for all the times my pockets were empty and when they were full. I did not differentiate my love of God when I was at my lowest or thank him more when things went my way. To do so would be defining my love of him in a temporal means. No God is always loved by me no matter the events that occur. I trust that he will see me through the hardest times and share with me the good times. As I look back on the years that have past in my life I can see it was the hardest times that offered me the greatest opportunities to grow as a person and to learn to be compassionate towards others. This past year was filled with great joy and great pain, with laughter and tears and all these things I shared with my best friend, (God). I have seen family members and friends die this year and others born, and I know that God is in charge of this all. Yes he blessed those who came to this earth to begin a new life and blessed those who returned to him after theirs had ended.

I do not know what this new year will bring if I will stand with pockets empty or full, if I will live or die. In the end, it does not matter to me for there is someone greater who watches over me and you. In him we live, move, have our beginning, in him is my faith and trust for the rest of this day and the new year ahead.

I offer a prayer for the end of this day...the end of this year... a special prayer from one very special....

Dear God,

I want to thank you for what you have already done.

I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the kids are asleep and the house is quiet, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief, I am thanking you right now.

I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed, I am thanking you right now.

I am thanking you because I am alive and I made it through the day's difficulties.

I am thanking you for I have walked around the obstacles. I am thanking for I have the ability to be better and do better for I can love..

And most of all I am thanking you for not giving up on me, even when I did so....