Tuesdays of Praise

5 years ago this July 10th, the Captain and I said " I do" (or it might have been an "I will") in front of 200 + guests at our home church. It was a lovely day...except for the torrential downpour.
The day started out sunshiny and dazzling. However, when my dad and I were waiting outside the doors (you know the ones, the ones where they open them with a flourish and everyone gasps in awe and amazement at the blushing bride...or something to that effect) anyhoo...we were waiting outside said doors and I looked out the front windows of the church. Black as black could be, my friends. Then came the ground shaking thunder...this was only a problem because OUR RECEPTION WAS SUPPOSED TO BE OUTSIDE!!!!

I distinctly remember waiting for the "enter music" with dad and thinking...oh well, at the end of today I am going to be married...rain or shine. (as well as we are all going to stay in this building and do nothing but stare at each other while my beautiful wedding cake gets soggy and drips to the pavement not 10 minutes away! ...but this is not the thought we will focus on.) Then the song Blessed Be Your Name started to play itself out in my head. I sang that song to myself while I waited to be given away to the Captain...little did I know at that time how much more the song would come into play in my life.

I had always loved that song...the words always touched something deep in me that other songs failed to do. I always wanted to mean the words...to live them out.

This is why it is the very first song I thought of when Andy and I were picking music for our precious baby girls memorial service (funeral sounded way to harsh there...)

So on September 27th 2008 our church filled up with friends, family and loved ones to honor the life of my Caden. And together we sang the song that I sang on another Saturday in that exact same church some 4 and a half years earlier for a much happier reason. Yet, it still fit perfectly for both occasions, and it still remains one of my very favorite songs. I have nothing but good memories attached to it...even if some of them are "saying goodbye" memories, they are still sweet.
So today, I praise God for all that He has given, and all that He Has taken away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

(I tried to get the song on my playlist so you could hear it...blasted iTunes kept shutting down...so read the words, and if you want to look it up yourself, it is by Matt Redman.)

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be
'Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

What are you praising God for today?