Happy Thanksgiving

It seems like every year I'm always astounded by how many things I have to be thankful for.

It's hard to find the words actually.  I spent a long time on Thanksgiving night just staring at my journal--trying to contemplate what I wanted to say.  After a little while I came up with my top ten things I'm thankful for.  Not really in any order, they just came to me as I was writing.

1) I'm thankful for my family.  First of all Mom and Dad, what would I do without you two?  There to guide, direct, and encourage me.  Trey, Nathan, Ryan, and Ashlyn--my awesome brothers and sister.  I'm so blessed by all of my family.  My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins...I love them all soo much.

2) I'm thankful for my home.  I LOVE living in the country.  I'm blessed to live on land that's been passed down from generation to generation.  It's allowed us to explore and learn, grow and till.  It's been wonderful, and I'm thankful for it.

3) I'm thankful for my friends.  It's so hard to say how much my friends mean to me.  They have blessed me in times of joy, and in times of pain.  We've borne each others burdens together, we've talked, laughed, and edified.  I am again, and again, blessed by the people the Lord has given me in my life.

4) I'm thankful for my country.  It's still the land of the free and the home of the brave.  What a rich history this country has!  From the Pilgrims blood and sweat, and from God's providential guidance, this land was born.  A quote from The Story of Liberty truly sums all our country is: "Liberty is in her new home.  Strong hands will subdue the wilderness, and brave hearts will establish an empire extending from the frozen regions of the North to the sunny climes of the South, from the stormy Atlantic to the peaceful Pacific.  Through hardship, suffering, and sacrifice the great republic of the Western world shall rise to become peer among the nations.  Its starry flag shall emblem of the world's best hope; for to it the oppressed of all the earth shall turn with longing eyes, and beneath it there shall be peace and plenty, and the recognition of the rights of men."

5) I'm thankful for my education.  Even though it's been hard sometimes.  Even though many tears have been shed over a certain math book, or a confusing science formula, I'm thankful I've been given these opportunities to learn.  Everything I learn truly shows how great and awe-inspiring God is.

6) I'm thankful for my music.  I can't even imagine how my life would've been without my music.  Or rather, without the music that God lets me enjoy.  I am so thankful for piano, violin, and all those great hymns that always encourage me when I'm down.  I can't express it in any words, I'm so thankful.

7) I'm thankful for my jobs.  Even though jobs isn't really the word I'm looking for, I truly love doing them!  I love every time I walk into the home I babysit and one of the little 'uns come running towards me, begging to go outside or play with play-dough.  Or whenever the light clicks when a word or grammar lesson is read and understood.  I also love teaching my music students.  Even if some of those violin notes are a little squeaky or that piano note can't quite be found, it is truly a joy to me.  I know it's not for everyone one what I do, but I'm truly blessed.

8) I'm thankful for my sorrows and pain.  This one's hard to be thankful for.  So often I don't want to know that these are for a reason, so often I want to ask "why."  But I know that, as John G. Paton says, everything that happens is "For my good, and HIS glory."  This is more of a prayer for me, trying to remind me to trust the Lord in happiness or sorrow.  There are so many people who have endured immense trials with an amazing grace and assurance in Christ.  Even though I only experience a very small slither of hardship, I want to be like those people of the faith.  I want to grow in my relationship with God, I want to grow more like Him.  And because of this, I'm truly trying to thank Him for anything that's hard.

9) I'm thankful for my faith.  I really and truly couldn't imagine life without this one.  The Lord has given this gift to His people, and I can't believe that I'm His child.  I'm so thankful for this firm foundation, this grace.  To know that I'm forgiven is a peace that is indescribable.

10) I'm thankful for my Lord.  For the one that gave His all.  For the one who is my Rock, my Foundation.  My Comfort and Friend.  He's Everything (literally ;)).  He' given me so much, so many blessings.  Can anyone describe all that He is?  I know that I can't.  I'm so thankful for all He is.

So even when actual Thanksgiving Day is past, and we're enjoying the leftovers from our dinner, we always must remember what Thanksgiving is about.  It's about realizing the great sacrifices made to bring us where we are today.  But above all, it's about realizing that all we have is from the Lord.  It's about giving thanks to the One who gave us everything.

I wanted to end with this quote from William Bradford's book Of Plymouth Plantation:

"It was replied that all great and honorable actions are accompanied with great difficulties, and must be both met and overcome with answerable courage.  It was granted the dangers were great, but not desperate; the difficulties were many, but not invincible.  For, many of the things feared might never befall; other by provident care and the use of good means might in a great measure by prevented; and all of them, through the help of God, by fortitude and patience, might either be be borne or overcome."