Something to be Thankful for

With Thanksgiving this week I've really been wanting to write about my life and whom/what I am thankful for...there are many things in life, like Starbucks coffee, my favorite TV shows, or my favorite pair of red high heels.... however there is so much more in life that I am thankful for that I want to share with y'all!

Our Lord and Savior and our church is a huge part of my life. Our God is a loving and forgiving God, who loves me ‘Just as I am’ and continues to transform me into what he wants me to be, and for that I am extremely thankful. Thanks to Him, I can stop and take a deep breath and savor the beauty that surrounds us. God has really made me see the beauty in this journey, he has given me patience and has made me who I am today, I am extremely thankful for knowing and having God in my life…with him everything else just seems to fall into place, the good and the bad! Knowing God is by my side every step of the way is an amazing feeling, and for that I am grateful!

When I was a little girl I would dress up, throw a pillow case over my head and walk down the hall singing ‘Here comes the Bride’…I’ve dreamed of falling in love with my one and only and living happily ever after; I never would have thought it would become a reality. I am so thankful for you Zachary; you are more than I could have ever dreamed of! You are the first to hold me when I am afraid; you are my encourager when I am in doubt, you are my sunshine on a rainy day. Our years have had many bumps, but I am so thankful for the opportunity to experience these bumps with you. I never dreamed I would hear my husband praying over me at night, God threw away the mold when He made you. I love you not because of who you are, but because of who I am when I am with you—THANK YOU Zach, for being my all!

Sometimes I look back to the past and wonder where the time went…I’ve had some amazing memories with my family, memories I am so thankful for!! The love our family shares is heartwarming! I am so thankful for each and everyone one of y’all and our moments…from Easter Egg hunting, to lawn mower rides…to throwing rolls during diner…to showing everyone your ‘see food’…to fishing at the river…or great hamburgers…to driving through the fence on a golf cart…to watching me dance around in the living room to your old records…or teaching me how to drive a standard….my family means so much to me and I am so thankful for our memories! I have also been blessed with amazing inlaws, and for them I am extremely thankful for as well!!!!

When God blessed me with friends he gave me some of the best in the world! Thank you to those who not only helped me walk through this journey, but have walked it WITH me right by my side! I think of the times where I would be so overwhelmed with life, and someone would say a kind word, or send me a sweet email…you will never know how much your friendship means to me! Time might lead me to nowhere and faith might break into pieces at times, but I will always be thankful that once in my life’s journey we became FRIENDS! Thank you all for always being there for me, for being understanding...

At times when I am sad and just want to be alone my puppies refuse to leave me by myself…in fact, they are always there by my side…I can’t tell you the number of times I have just wept until I ran out of tears and they were right by my side, whether it be when I am on the couch, bed or even in the tub…they truly know when I am sad, and they will not leave me alone. I am so thankful for them and even more thankful they know exactly how to put a smile on my face!!

Life can be hard at times, not everything is picture perfect---but this is MY life, and I am extremely blessed and thankful! I am thankful for the many groups of people who have prayed for our family, even some we haven’t ever met in person! ‘Blessed are those that can give without remembering and receive without forgetting’…you all will never know how extremely thankful I am for y’all! I once read somewhere to ‘Be thankful for what you have, you’ll end up having more…if you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough!’ God’s plan for us, and each of you, is so very special…this plan was created for us long before we were born…I know each of us would have changed a few things given we were the option to plan our own life…however this is beyond our control. Sitting here looking back there are so many things I have overcome, so many people I have met, so many wonderful memories with friends and family, and all because of this journey…so although I wouldn’t have picked this plan out myself, I am so thankful God did! Thank you God, for this good life, thank you God for all the blessing and the abundance in my life!

I catch myself many of times counting my blessings and thanking God for my amazing life…but it’s not many days I remember to thank others in my life for being there and being there for me! This year has been one of the hardest through this journey, however it was one of the best as well…I want to personally thank all of my blog readers. You ladies/gentlemen never seize to amaze me…I never in a million years would have expected my boring ol’ life to bring so many friendships my way! I am so thankful for our emails, I am so thankful for the prayers you give my family and I am so thankful for all the sweet comments that you all leave me! I’m beyond grateful for y’all!

This is my life…these people are my everything…This is everything I am thankful for…and there is nowhere else in the world I’d rather be!

This Thanksgiving Day, let's remember what we truly have to be thankful for. Let's take a good, hard look around us and realize that while we may not have everything we want, what we want is not always what we need.

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.”