Day 2 - Days of Thanks

Something I enjoy doing is searching Google Images for unique photos representing life in all its stages and expressions. I found this photo this morning and felt it speaking to me in many ways. As I stared at the photo, the word thankful kept ringing in my head and it gave life to this image. Today, I'm thankful for prayer. I'm thankful for the little hands that so sweetly and innocently pray to this great, big God with such promise and hope and certainty. I'm thankful for the youthful hands that pray to God for understanding, value, acceptance - all in a time of such growth and awkwardness. I'm thankful for the praying hands of college students, newly weds, new parents, singles, the lost and lonely, the abandoned, the divorced, the beaten and weary, the oppressed, the hungry, the sick, the joyful, the churched and the unchurched. I'm thankful for the praying hands that have prayed for me, for my family, for peace, for our soldiers, our doctors, our politicians, our teachers, our firefighters, paramedics and police officers. I'm thankful for the praying hands of our clergy, our friends, our children, our parents, our siblings and our spouses. I'm thankful for the praying hands of our grandparents, the shut-ins, the neglected, the elderly. I'm thankful for the praying hands of the Alzheimer's unit to which I minister. I'm thankful for the praying hands of our Savior who prayed for us, for our souls, for our salvation, for our children, for our lives, for our forgiveness. I'm thankful for those same praying hands that spread open wide on a cross and embraced us all, loved us all, forgave us all, accepted us all, interceded for us all. I'm thankful that when I know not what else to do, I can always turn to our God, El Shaddai, and know that God will hold my praying hands. I'm thankful for praying hands.