Giving Thanks

I have a lot to be thankful for this year, and I hate that it sometimes takes a holiday like Thanksgiving for me to really think about all the ways I've been blessed. But thats ok. It's allowed me this week to really focus on what's important, my faith, my family, my friends. I love that, because of my faith, thankfulness isn't just something that happens when things are going well. We can be thankful regardless of our circumstances, regardless of whats going on in the world around us.

There's a lot of bad stuff in this world. Things don't always go like we want them to, people we love get sick, even die, but that doesn't change the fact that we are thankful. We are thankful for a Heavenly Father who, despite our constant failures, loves us, and continues to bless us although we certainly don't deserve it.

I'm thankful this year for the man that God placed in my life, to lead me and our family into a closer relationship with Him. A man that works so hard in all that he does, a man that loves me even when I am anything but lovable.

I'm thankful for my two little guys, who are slowly becoming not so little, for their sweet spirits and kind hearts.

I'm thankful for my family and the closeness we share. God has truly blessed me with parents who have always been such a Godly example of the way marriage is supposed to work, and with siblings who is it so easy to have fun with.

I'm thankful for my church and the strong group of brothers and sisters in Christ that I get to spend time with on a very regular basis.

I'm thankful for friends. Friends that are so easy to spend time with and talk to, friends who thank God for the blessings in their lives, and friends who continue to thank God even when things are not going well.

And ultimately I'm thankful for a God who loves me so much that he sent his Son to suffer the punishment that I deserve for the wickedness in my life and heart. And on top of that, a God who blesses me beyond what I could ever imagine.

Like I said, I have a lot to be thankful for.

I hope everyone has a very happy thanksgiving!