An Early Thanksgiving Blessing

As we approach Thanksgiving, we have so many things this year to be thankful for...the opportunity to serve our God freely, an awesome church family, great friends, wonderful family, good jobs, a roof over our heads, food on the table, clean water to drink, medical care if we need it...and last, but most certainly not least, we are thankful that we are "expecting" our first little one and that God is providing for us to expand our family in ways we never, ever expected!

We received a letter a couple of days ago from Kenny's aunt and uncle in Alabama and I wanted to share with you (with their permission) a story that had me in tears and struggling to see the road as Kenny read it to me over the phone...

Hi Ken and Jana (we always know it's Kenny's family when it's addressed to "Ken"...)

We got your letter when we got back from vacation to the Great Smokey Mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee today. We really enjoyed the beauty of God's creation in the mountains.

I must tell you this story. The week before we left for vacation, a check came to me in the mail from an insurance company. I thought, boy what a blessing to come out of nowhere. I was really busy before leaving but got the phone number and was going to call when we got back. Today I called to reluctantly inform them that surely it was a mistake because I had never heard of this insurance company. They asked several questions and it was NOT a mistake. It was a policy my Mother had taken out on me in 1960. That was one year before I became a COOK. The insurance company had changed their name and I was not familiar with it. This policy was a small endowment that matured at my age 65. God works in mysterious ways!! NOW I know why I got this unexpected check at this very point in time.

THE MONEY IS TO HELP BRING OUR NEWEST COOK BABY HOME!!

I set here writing with tears running down my face as I feel so blessed that we can be a part of this with you. We will continue to pray for you and this or these babies that God is sending your way...

May God continue to bless you as you follow His calling.

Much love to you both!

We started this process about 6 months ago, but I think it's pretty cool that God had this in the works back in 1960...over 48 years ago!! It's hard for me to wrap my head around the reality that our God cares so much for this unknown child of ours that He begin working on bringing him or her home in 1960! We know no name, we wonder what he or she looks like or what their favorite foods are, we wonder how old they are or what they like to play with...But our God knows a face, knows a name, knows the number of hairs on their head. And knows the exact day they will become ours. Wow...

Happy Thanksgiving to us!! (And "Thanks!" Uncle & Aunt Cook...you have blessed our socks off!!)