Thankfulness

Tonight I read a Bible story to the kids.  It was about when Jesus healed the ten lepers and only one of them returned to thank him.  Afterwards, I was rocking Romy and watching her fall asleep and thinking.  Here are some of my thoughts... (story can be found in Luke 17:11-19)

*Jesus responds to cries of mercy.
*The lepers obeyed him before their miracle occurred.
*Jesus was moved by the faith of the leper that came back and threw himself at his feet in thankfulness.

After having Zeke, around 4 months after having him, I was in pain.  I mean, can barely walk up the stairs pain.  Both of my knees were inflamed and swollen.  I went to the doctor and he told me I had psoriatic arthritis.  The psoriasis on my scalp had given me arthritis in my body and the only way to be relieved of this was to go on medicine and wean Zeke immediately.  I grieved over this, but didn't know how much longer I could go on with the pain.  Pain is a big motivator.  I weaned Zeke at exactly six months suddenly and it was very sad for me.  I couldn't feed my baby because of the interference of the medicine.  I was grateful that I got a good 6 months of nursing in for him and grateful I wasn't in pain after that.

I was on that medicine for a good while and it was ok, but I kept getting sinus infections.  It's like my body couldn't get over colds because my immune system was suppressed through these meds.  I went off of them when Ben and I wanted to conceive again and I have been off of them since.

Then Romy was born and mentally I have been bracing myself for the pain coming after her birth.  Arthritis is no joke.  It hurts and it hurts bad.  I have been praying that God would deliver me from arthritis and tonight during the story I suddenly realized that I have no joint pain.  Not even a trace of it.  I am not on a gluten free diet or a grain free diet.  There is no logical explanation for my lack of joint pain except God's mercy.  So tonight, I gave thanks.  Thanks there in that glider holding my baby that I don't have joint pain.

I'm not really in that "name it and claim it" boat, but can I humbly say that I am cured of arthritis purely because of God's grace on me?  Yes, I think I can, and I will.  So, I will continue to throw myself at His feet and give thanks daily and be delivered daily.

I'm not sure why I've never looked up pictures of leprosy before.  Tonight I wanted to know what those ten must have looked like.  This is what I found.

We are not talking about a little thing here.  Jesus gave them back their lives.