Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving Reflections

Picture from http://www.vocado.se/en/autumn-leaves/
Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I want to take some time to reflect on all the blessings in my life.

At the foundation is the fact that God loves me and gave me the gift of faith to come into a relationship with Him.  That He, by His pure grace, forgave all my sins through Jesus' work in the cross and gave me His holy spirit to live inside me.  That the Holy Spirit encourages me, teaches me, and convicts me when I go astray.  That God's word is so good and relevant and gives me a compass for my life.

I'm grateful that I'm healthy. 

I'm grateful for John.  He knows me and still loves me.  I appreciate so much that he and I can sit up in our room and make stupid jokes about annoying life circumstances or people and laugh together.  I like that we are both readers and can share stuff with each other that we both find interesting but that I've noticed most other people seem to find boring.  I'm grateful that, although when I look in the mirror I'm not the person I once was, he still finds me appealing and wants to be close with me.  I enoy hiking with him.

I'm grateful for three healthy sons all of whom are living productively.  Grateful that they are each indpendent and want to make their own way in life.  Grateful for the times I get to spend with them and grateful that they want to spend time with me.

I'm grateful for my local church.  I'm blessed with friendships with women who range from age 16 to 70.  Just thinking about any of them brings a smile to my lips.  These creative, interesting, fun women who love God and are trying to make thieir faith real in ways that matter, never cease to inspire me.

And I'm grateful for my job.  Although I've spent a lot of time here complaining about events at work, when I step back and gain perspective, I'm grateful.  Grateful in this bad economy that I have a job with decent pay and good benefits.  Grateful that I know each day that I contribute in ways that makes life better for specific detainees, staff, or the medical system at this location.  Grateful that I like many of the people with whom I work.  Grateful that, although I have a 40 minute drive to work, it's on uncrowed country highways and is not a stressful drive.  Grateful that God uses this job to address my character defects.

I'm grateful that I live in Wrightwood and am surrounded by pine trees, mountains, and clean air.  Grateful for our home and all the positive changes God's allowed us to make to this home so that it's becoming better and better as the years pass.  Grateful that we get to experience all the seasons in their beauty.
Picture from http://www.the7thelement.com

May I never cease to appreciate all the many blessings God has given me.

2 comments:

Mike said...

It seems that many of God's greatest blessings often "sneak in under the radar", as though I am surprised when I slow down enough to reflect and notice them.

Tracy said...

Know just what you mean Mike; if I don't take time to look and really see, I miss His many blessings.

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