I'm thankful for Lyme disease.

Today, on Thanksgiving, I am thankful for Lyme disease.

I know, it sounds weird.

But there is a difference between being thankful for what you have, and wanting what you have. Some of the things I am thankful for, I don't want, nor would I choose to have, like Lyme disease. But that doesn't mean I can't be thankful for what's in my life.

I am thankful for the things God has shown me and taught me through this battle. Some of them being:

I am thankful for my freezing fingertips and toes, so I can remember to pray for those who don't have mittens and socks.

I'm thankful for my insomnia, and how I have started to read my Bible more when I'm up, awake, and bored in the middle of the night.

I am thankful for my food sensitivities and restricted diet so I can remember to to pray for those who don't have enough to eat.

I am thankful for the chance to know my chiropractor and other doctors. They not only have made me feel better physically, but most of them encourage me spiritually too.

I am thankful for how being sick has strengthened my relationship with my mom.

I'm thankful for how God has forced me to lean completely on Him and not my own strength. Because I wasn't doing that before I got sick, and I needed to learn how.

I'm thankful for all the amazing people and friends I've met in Lyme support groups online.

I'm thankful that I have learned the people in the world really aren't as bad as the world seems. Strangers sending me notes of encouragement, people at church checking up on me, learning who my true friends really are.

I'm thankful I have an excuse/valid reason to sleep - chronic fatigue syndrome.

I'm thankful that I am dealing with this now as a teen, instead of in college, or in 15-20 years as a mom.

I'm thankful that I have, or have learned to have, a high pain tolerance.

I'm thankful for medicines and things God made to help us heal.

I'm thankful I have been able to keep a mostly positive outlook.

I'm thankful that I have been able to help several other people diagnosis their Lyme before it got much worse.

I'm thankful that Jesus still loves me, no matter what. And gave his very life to save me.

Are you sick and feeling like there's nothing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving? 

There are so many things to be thankful for. Surely you can relate to at least one of them on this list, and if not think of at least one blessing in disguise of being sick.

Remember that God is good, always, and no matter how bad things may seem, He still loves you.

"Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan’s angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn’t think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,

My grace is enough; it’s all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness. 

Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ’s strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10 MSG)

Now if that's not a good reason to be thankful, I don't know what is. His grace is sufficient, always.