When I saw NOVEMBER go up, I saw birthdays and Thanksgiving.
Ohhhhh yes, one of my most favorite seasons! THANKSGIVING.
I'm not big on the turkey, cranberry or pies ~ what I'm big on is time with family. All of us fumbling over one another under one roof in one house excited to share a meal with one another and the aftermath of the ever lovin' TURKEY COMA NAP. I love the family traditions, we know that Papa Don will bring drinks, Grandma Gail makes the pies, Mo does the cranberries...etc.
I also very much look forward to my own tradition of finding something every day in the month of November to share my thankfulness for. I had a friend who said she'd like to take the challenge but couldn't find 3 let alone 30 things to be thankful for. Of course I GASP, SPUTTER and say WHAT! I have a hard time limiting, how can one not find something, SOMETHING... there is always SOMTHING TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
Don't for a moment think that I've got a yellow brick road that I walk on. My life is gets rocky, the road gets long and the journey does feel a bit difficult at times, because my road, it isn't always paved with sunshine and rainbows! Sometimes I have to create my own sunshine in seeking things to be thankful for.
Here is a for instance.
In June I was in a car wreck, my fault, I rear ended the car in front of me. First ouch IT WAS A FRIEND. Second ouch THE VERY LARGE TICKET, third ouch THE DEDUCTABLE, fourth ouch MY INSURANCE CANCELLED ME, fourth ouch THE TIMING WAS HORRIBLE for a financial burden like that, fifth ouch I SPRAIN MY FOOT. Nothing in that to be thankful for?? OH MY ACHIN' FOOT (and it still does I might add). The friend had a car full of girls no one hurt *thankful. My daughter was in my car unharmed *thankful. The ticket to the tune of $280 I had funds for as I was saving for our wedding for the "what ifs" *Thankful The deductible for the damages was $500 which took some shuffling on my part but it was there *thankful. My aching foot, not broken *thankful. There were plenty PLENTY of reasons to be upset without a doubt, but there were far many reasons to praise God in this storm. I am not the gal you want to tell "I have nothing to be thankful for" .... Yes, I see in the gloomy, ugly pity party of life, there is always something to be thankful for ~ you sometimes need to stop and look for it, and sometimes it is so evident that you can't help but see it brightly there in front of you.
As I think about beginning my THANKFUL JOURNAL for the month of November~ once again I am getting excited! I'm nearly gitty with joy in sharing with others the incredible blessings that come my way....in this I am finding that I must be humble.
It is NOT ME that is doing this. It is I am being ABUNDANTLY BLESSED and I want to make that very clear from the get go. I am not doing anything but receiving with a never ending grateful heart. All of the blessings for which I am thankful, they are GIFTS from GOD. It is He who I am sharing, He who is providing and He who is making me ever so mindful ... through the storms He is near. When there are fender benders, He is there. ohhhh I can not wait to get started!!!!
Give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
I have a great many reasons to smile, to be thankful to love my family, to appreciate my friends and to glorify my God.... I can not wait to share the THANKFUL JOURNAL journey with you!