Grateful

Thanksgiving Day was October 9 for us Canadians. I'm glad that this year, this special occasion has been prolonged for us. We gathered with our families the weekend prior to Thanksgiving, because that's when most of us were around. The weekend of Thanksgiving, we shared lunch with our good friends at their home. The 9th was a holiday & day off from work, of course, but with no gatherings to attend, we were able to get a lot of work done on finishing out our basement. This past weekend, we celebrated with Thanksgiving Dinner at our church. And I'm not tired of being thankful, yet! Just some of the things I've learned over the years and in recent weeks...

I Am Thankful...

that God is real, and He loves me--so much that He sacrificed His Son, Jesus Christ to pay the penalty of my sin on a cruel cross, just to be with me. And when I am distracted by all the things this world has to offer me, He waits for me...and when my eyes are opened and I see what I'm really missing (again), He smiles at me and says "Come...". It is good to feel that loved...

that I have a loving husband who keeps coming home to me & the kids, even when I'm not that much fun to come home to...

for my 3 sons. I wouldn't want it any other way. I think God knew there were enough female hormones creating havoc in this household...

for family, in-laws and cousins that are fun to spend time with and easy to love...

for friends who are always glad to see us and spend time with us, even when we've been too busy for too long...

that we had such an awesome summer!

for God's provision of a job for hubby that he loves, and that provides enough income to meet our needs and even some wants. I complain sometimes about the crazy long hours he sometimes puts in, but then again, him working this job means I don't have to be out in the workforce and can stay at home to be there for our kids...

that we have a nice house to live in and that we are able to now finish building it and expand our living space x 2!

that my hubby can do and fix almost anything...

that even though I said we would learn to manage without, hubby decided to buy a new TV. I'm extra thankful that he was satisfied with a 27"...

that my teenage son--after spending Saturday afternoon with our church's youth group, and after church's Thanksgiving Dinner & Program the next day, said "That was fun!"

that someone brought a friend to Thanksgiving Dinner, and after we took turns saying what we were thankful for--the usual food, shelter, family & friends, free country, church--he asked to share his testimony with us. He came from Africa, where he suffered starvation, abuse, tip-toed around rotting bodies laying in the streets and saw his father shot dead, and where he learned that God was looking after him. We are blessed beyond recognition...