Sunday, November 28, 2010

Thanksgiving

I have so many things to be thankful for. So often I forget to sit back and count them. God is so good! So often I dwell on the things in my life I don't like, and as Beth Moore says, it turns into "faithless fretting." May I do much more faithful thanking! Yes, life is hard, but God is good. And bigger than my fears. And I do have so many things to be thankful for! I know I have used this set up before, but it fits well, so I am going to use it again. A list of A-Z on what I am thankful for.

A-a break from school! Thanksgiving break was much needed! And only three more weeks until Christmas Break!
B-beauty! This country is so beautiful. I spent the weekend at the beach enjoying the beauty of the coast and drove through the mountains to get there and enjoyed the beauty of the mountains. I love how creative God is!
C-chocolate. Yes, I am thankful for dark chocolate :). As my mom says, "Love God, hate sin, read your Bible, and eat chocolate!"
D-drinking hot drinks. The weather has been cool enough to do that. And by cool I mean 70s. Yes, I am getting tropical blood!
E-eating. We went to an all-inclusive resort over the weekend. Needless to say, I ate a lot! So grateful for more than enough food. I take that for granted so often!
F-friends! Some friends came over Thanksgiving. It was awesome! My friend Daniel was injured in a medical accident, so his mom also shared his story in chapel for the secondary. Very powerful! I had so much fun with them and hope they can come again. My kids loved them too!
G-growth. The Lord is stretching me so much. It's hard but so good!
H-heroes. My first graders and I have been going through a devotional book of Bible heroes. There are so many incredible people in the Bible who I can follow their example. And I love that they made mistakes, yet God still used them.
I-important decisions. Funny thing to be thankful for, but I can be thankful that God will direct me in my important decisions! The one on my mind is where He wants me next year. Please pray with me that I will follow His will for my life and not my own desires!
J-Jesus. I am so thankful that He died on the cross for me even when He could have called down legions of angels to rescue him.
K-kangaroos? I can't think of a k word!
L-languages. I love that God gave our brains the ability to learn another language. And I am glad we can talk to people with words!
M-medicine. I am glad we have doctors who can help us feel better!
N-naps. What more can I say?
O-open doors. I have been able to talk to one of my student's moms about the Lord a little. Please pray that God keeps opening the doors!
P-parties. We had a Thanksgiving party at school. All my kids dressed up like little pilgrims. They were so cute!
Q-quiet time with God. I don't do this enough. May I really hunger for it!
R-renewing. I love that God renews our minds to make us more like Him!
S-salvation. Praise the Lord that I can be part of His family!
T-truffles. I haven't had any in a while, but am looking forward to one when I get home!
U-umbrellas. It has been raining a lot here. When I use my umbrella, it's great :).
V-victories. The Lord has given me many personal victories and victories with my students. Praise Him for that!
W-water. It really is a blessing to have water in my house. I need to remember that when I am not happy about the hot water only lasting about 3 minutes!
X-x-ray. But not the kind the doctors do. I am thankful that God knows my heart, that his x-ray is so much more accurate. I love that He sees the dirt inside me yet still loves me.
Y-youngsters. I am thankful for my 19 little blessings. They have taught me so much! And they did SO well with my friend Daniel who is in a wheelchair. LOVE them!
Z-zzzz's. I am thankful for sleep! I am hoping to get plenty of it tonight!

Making that list really helped me be thankful so much. Instead of focusing on the hard things, may I really focus on what the Lord has done for me and even more than that who He is. He is amazing! May you also count your blessings!

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