Thankfulness

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving

And His courts with praise,

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His lovingkindness is everlasting

And His faithfulness to all generations."

Psalm 100:4-5

With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, I have seen many facebook/blog posts about thankfulness and things that people are thankful for. I love it! I decided to follow suit, not for the purpose of following the crowd, but to (semi-)publicly praise God for the wonderful things He has given me.

First I wanted to look at the Psalm at the top of this post. We are to enter into the presence of God with thanksgiving and praise, blessing His name. Why are we thankful to Him? Look at the latter half of the passage - we're thankful to Him for His goodness and His everlasting lovingkindness (mercy) and faithfulness. (Side note: as I write this, I am listening to How Great Thou Art. It's cool writing about His goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness-just three reasons He is so great-while listening to this hymn!) This shows me something else important - because we are thankful for who He is, we can be thankful in any circumstance. His goodness, lovingkindness, and faithfulness are always there, never changing. Even when He is refining us through the fire, we can be thankful, because He is good, merciful, and faithful. He is such an awesome God!

Here is a list of some things I'm thankful for

(this is NOT exhaustive):

1. The fact that I am saved from my sin - though my sin is still present, it no longer has power over me
2. My awesome church families (plural because I kind of live in 3 places; therefore, 3 churches)
3. My family (immediate and extended)- as confusing as it can be to outsiders, I love it!

5. Laughter

6. Being at The Master's College

7. Studying Teacher Education - my classes have taught me SO much

8. Foundation, my college group- awesome teaching and faithful leaders

9. Sweaters, argyle socks, and scarves (can you guess what I'm wearing today?)

10. Being home for 5 nights for Thanksgiving

11. Service opportunities at church

12. My awana kids - they make me laugh and melt my heart

13. The opportunity to meet with Meredith weekly and the friendship that has come from it

14. My wing - full of loud, crazy, fun, and God-loving ladies

15. Spinach (never thought I'd say that)

16. Friends - especially those that include fellowship and fun

17. Red Velvet - cake, cupcakes, cake pops, anything

18. Being able to do laundry free at home

19. The Word of God - it truly is "a lamp to my feet (for guidance for each step I take) and a light to my path (giving me an overall picture of God's plan and the goal of it-His glory)" Psalm 119:105

20. Hymns and other music that is focused on God and on truth

21. Growing up

22. A roof over my head and food in my belly

23. Homemade white bean chili (one of those foods that makes me question why I chose a school that I would have to leave home and eat in a caf....okay not really, but I do enjoy it)

24. My small group on my wing (here's why I love it)

25. Nail polish

26. Pretty things - I have learned a lot about the value of appreciating beauty this semester

27. Banjos, ukuleles, guitars, mandolins - love listening to them

28.  Victory over sins in my life and help from the Holy Spirit

29. So many good memories

30. Good food tomorrow. Favorite T-day foods: biscuits and green been casserole!

31. The sibs - 3 sisters and 1 brother - my best friends and the funniest/funnest people I've ever met

32. Swap meets and swap meet finds

33. Early mornings before other people wake up - such a peaceful time of day that I don't see enough

34. The Valley of Vision

35. Fun

36. Taste buds. They are some of my best buds, that's for sure.

37. Seeing pictures of the snow in Maine (I think I get the better end of the deal...I see the beauty but I don't a) have to shovel the driveway, decks, or roof, b) have toes that I can't feel, c) have a frozen and runny nose...okay none of those are that bad. I'm trying to convince myself that I don't want to be there right now)

38. Things that smell good

39. Things that make me smell good

I could say so many more things that I am thankful for. Because everything that is given to me is good! Even the trials that come are good for me, because I do grow from them and afterward I always see how it is actually better that I went through them than it would have been if I didn't. I do want to clarify something though. More important than the things I am thankful for is the One I am thankful to. James 1:17 - Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. Every good thing in my life comes from my heavenly Father. He is so good.