Thankful Thursday, Week 3

I’m back with the third installment of Thankful Thursday. You can catch up with the previous weeks here and here. Can you believe Thanksgiving is just one week away?

Day 12: Opportunities to serve people in need
It is a great blessing to give back to people some of what God has given me. Whether it be a sack of groceries, spending time listening to cares and hardships, or holding hands and bowing heads together in prayer. I think the giver receives just as much blessing (if not more so) than the receiver.

Day 13: Old friends you can pick up with right where you left off
Today we made a two-hour drive to meet up with Jeff’s college roommate (and best man in our wedding) and his bride of almost a year and a half now. We hadn’t seen them since their wedding, and even then things were crazy. This was our first chance to spend any substantial time with the two of them together. It was just like old times, seeing Jeff and Addam laughing and joking together.

Day 14: God’s work through the ages and generations
In church this morning, we got a history lesson on the political times surrounding Christ’s birth and the census that took Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem. While I have to admit I was wondering what the point was of talking about this for so long, Pastor Wayne brought things full circle. How often do we consider the lengths to which God goes to put together all the little details that ultimately culminate in me being who I am, who He’s made me to be? All the world events that cause two people to be in the same place at the same time and eventually join lives together and produce more unique offspring… over and over again to get to me. It absolutely boggles my mind.

Day 15: Being able to make my home my job
For those of you who don’t know, Jeff and I have an agreement: He works the 9-to-5 job (or 8-to-6 as is more often the case) bringing home the proverbial bacon, and I take care of [almost] all the household work: cooking, cleaning, shopping, laundry, bills and budgeting, home maintenance, yard work, dog walking, etc. I love having the time to do those things without rushing through everything and falling into an exhausted heap at the end of every day. I’m still learning to run an efficient household, and these things take time (at least for me). This arrangement also gives me time to do things like blog and volunteer and keep a busy social schedule. I know some people would go crazy, but I love not having a “real” job! Sure we have less money this way, but the trade-offs are totally worth it.

Day 16: Good food, readily available
I’ll be the first to admit I love food, good food that is. Preferably as fresh as possible, though I have been known to love some processed junk, against my better judgment, especially if it contains chocolate (Nutty Bars, anyone?). Food, simply prepared, best shared with others, is one of life’s finest pleasures. And not everyone gets to share in this gift as they eat whatever they can find just to keep going another day.

Day 17: Kind words, particularly in the form of blog comments
Okay, so this one might seem out of place with some of the other things I’ve been focusing on, but seriously… it thrills me to hear the electronic chirp signaling a new message in my inbox and see a new comment posted on this here blog. Somebody read what I wrote (or viewed my photos) and liked it enough to comment? It gives me warm fuzzies every time.

Day 18: Operation Christmas Child
If you haven’t heard of Operation Christmas Child, go—right now—to www.samaritanspurse.org/occ and read about this wonderful program that shares hope and love with millions of children around the world every year. This is National Collection Week across the U.S. (through Sunday). I’ve had the honor of packing shoeboxes for several years and more recently volunteering at our church to help with local collection. Like I said on Day 12, it’s an enormous blessing to give in this small way that means so much to so many.

What are YOU thankful for this week?