Thanksgiving

I read a verse the other day that I've been mulling over:

"And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Thessalonians 5:14-18

In All circumstances...

Learning to be thankful - even when I cannot see, hear or understand what God is doing or how He is working - is authentic thanksgiving and the direct result of a living, active and personal faith in God. We often hear that we need more faith in order to be more thankful. I don't think so! We operate in faith every single day. We flip a switch believing in faith that light will appear. We turn a key believing in faith that a car will start. We even go to a doctor we hardly know who scribbles an impossible - to - read prescription which we promptly take to a pharmacist we have never seen. This unknown druggist proceeds to fill the prescription, giving us a medicine with a name we cannot even pronounce. And we take it - all in blind faith!

I believe that instead of pleading for more faith, we need to exercise the faith we already possess. As we continually step out in faith, not only will that faith grow stronger, but we will begin to trust God more, naturally developing an attitude of thanks. Faith does not believe that God can or will act. Faith believes that God is answering as we pray. And that truth, will send us to our knees in praise and thanksgiving.

I love this little quote. I think most of my life I've leaned more on the worry side, but I'm learning to lean more on the faith side more and more.

Hope is the anticipation that the outcome will be good.
Worry is the anticipation that the outcome will be bad.
Faith is the anticipation that whatever the outcome, it will be for our good.

I love love love this time of year! We had such a wonderful day with my family.

I'm grateful:

-for my family
-for laughter

-for yummy food
-that I have a husband I can discuss the world with and who gets me
-for my Punkybutt. He brings SO much joy into my life

-for nice neighbors
-for a husband and son who forgive me easily
-for unconditional love
-for my friends
-for the wonderful teachers Gabe has at church (and will have at school) who go out of their way to help us bring up our children in knowledge
-for the way Gabe says "ok sir" when we tell him to do something
-for the breathtaking beauty of the world
-for a husband who's my very best friend

-for parents who love me and support me every day
-for trials that make me stronger
-that we have insurance
-for a loving Father in Heaven I feel even closer to in my struggles
-for naps
-for hugs
-for helpful hands

-that Gabe wore Jaden Man's roller skates and helmet almost the whole day

Happy Thanksgiving