Growing up I pretty much thought of Thanksgiving as a good time to get out of school and, more importantly, the jumping off point for Christmas! It was a time to get together with cousins and aunts and uncles and eat all the traditional Thanksgiving foods. Well mostly traditional. I remember when a new cousin-in-law brought enchiladas. That was many years ago and no one had a clue what they were! While the food was always plentiful and always good, I couldn't wait til we drew names for Christmas gifts. (Funny thing, we always had a lot of food at Christmas too but I didn't know that until I was a teenager. I never got passed the living room where the tree stood guarding all those presents!)
Now that I'm older---and so is everyone else---Thanksgiving has a whole new meaning. I still consider it the jumping off point for Christmas. And, unlike my 7th grade Geography teacher, I don't start listening to Christmas music right after Thanksgiving dinner....I've been listening for weeks....and blessing my family with text videos of me driving and singing along with the radio....right now tough it's time to give thanks.
So, here I go. I'm thankful for my husband who works way too hard to provide for our family. It took me a long time to realize that working hard to provide for us was his love language. And I'm thankful that he has passed this example down to our kids. He also gave them the desire to learn. They are brilliant! Yes, I'm bragging. But I'm also very thankful that we have been blessed with kids who are so smart! My family constantly amazes me and I am truly blessed.
I'm thankful that this year that we've gotten to spend more time together as a family than we had in many years. And we have pictures to prove it! Some of the pictures are a bit goofy but we have pictures none the less. I'm also thankful for the time my husband and I got to get away this summer, just the two of us. There are certainly advantages in having grown kids!
There are a lot of in-law jokes. But I'm not making any. I am so blessed to have in-laws who regularly let me know they love me and think of me as their daughter. We call each other when we need prayer and we call each other to announce those prayers are answered. Now how many people can say that?
I'm thankful for a mom who taught me never to give up. You can't tell that little lady that she can't do something. She'll show you! Maybe it's because she's tiny and felt like she had to prove herself. Maybe it was just born in her. But she doesn't give up. And she is also quite the prayer warrior. Just call her and tell her what's up. She's praying before she hangs up the phone.
When I was a little girl, we were all 5 piled inside the cab of my dad's pick up truck. I remember we were arriving in the front yard of Great-Aunt Dolly's house. I don't know who was being discussed, in fact I don't think I even knew the person my parents were talking about. But my dad said "She's not a lady. There's a difference between a woman and a lady." That stuck with me and I've thought about it many times over the years. I'm thankful that my dad, unknowingly, defined for me just what being a lady meant. A lady is upstanding, of good reputation, basically who we read about in Proverbs 31. And a lady is who I always want to be.
I'm thankful for our amazing little Pippa! That little dog has brought so much fun into our lives. We didn't realize what we were missing in our home until we got her. She chews up favorite shoes, clothes and hats. Even ate a credit card. But she is quickly forgiven and the next thing you know she's being carried around, hugged or taught a new trick.
Friendship. Wow. What can I say? This year I've experienced restoration in friendships. I've been blessed with new friends. God has allowed me to not only be supported by friends but He has allowed me to use the things I've gone through to help friends, old and new. Oh I am sooo thankful! No trial we go through is for naught if we give give our whole lives to the Lord.
I'm thankful for laughter. I've realized over the years that I tend to be on the serious side and not always enjoy life. That's not what life is about. Yes, we must have seriousness. But we need fun too! Proverbs 17:22 tells us that a cheerful heart is good medicine. I don't know if it's age or just finally taking a cue from my husband and kids, but I'm learning to laugh and I love it! They can turn almost any situation into something fun and I'm ever so thankful for that.....most of the time! They may not always get my humor but I'm trying!
Most of all, I'm thankful for Jesus. Our Savior. Our God. I really don't know how anyone survives without Him. Our God is truly the God of second and third and forth and even more chances. He forgives and forgets. He wants what's best for us so much that He even allows struggles to come into our lives so we can truly have amazing lives. God has allowed me to grow and trust Him. I thought I already did. But I'm learning I didn't really trust Him before. I tried to do everything on my own. Thank You Lord for teaching me to trust You. For showing me that You ALWAYS keep your promises! Thank You for sacrificing everything so that I may live.
Well there's a lot more I'm thankful for but that's for another day. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment