I have been thinking for quite a while about how I wanted my Thanksgiving post to be. Did I want to do a list of ten things I am thankful for? Or maybe go through the abc's listing something I am thankful for with every letter? Or possibly just a pictorial list since I now have the internet at home & I can upload pics to my heart's content? What to do...what to do...

I am not a very decisive person. Those who know me, will not be surprised by this admission. So as I sit here typing, watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade, I still haven't made up my mind. So I guess I'll just keep typing and let it flow!

What I am most thankful for would have to be my relationship with the Lord. I cannot express my gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ for dying on the cross to save my soul. Recently He has been reminding me of a couple of things about His character that I have long known, but not fully meditated upon. Hebrews 13:8 says, "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today, and forever." This verse actually popped into my mind Tuesday night as I drove to church for the Thanksgiving & Praise Service. So I allowed my mind to consider the thought that Jesus never changes I realized how wonderful that is for me as a falliable person. Jesus always knew He was going to have to die for the sins of the world. He was always willing to do it. He loved us then, He loves us now, & He will continue to love us. The plan of salvation will never change. The Lord laid out the plan of redemption long ago and it will never change. Can you imagine what life would be like if we had to be concerned about whether or not Christ would change His mind about loving us? Or if the Lord decided to change the plan of salvation from generation to generation? What saved our great-grandparents would not work for us. We would have to figure out God's new plan & hope that He didn't change His mind. What a mess! I am so grateful that my God never changes. His love for me never changes. His plan of salvation is sure & has always been the same. What a great, constant God!

On the heels of these thoughts about the Lord's constancy, came the thought of what would I do if I didn't have the Lord to thank? Thanksgiving for me is all about thanking God. He is the one who has given me so much - salvation, family, a wonderful church, a job, a home, and on and on. I just don't know what the thought process would even be if I didn't have faith in God. Who do you thank then? Luck? Fortune? Yourself? How terribly empty that would be. Oh, thank God for faith in God!

I am also so grateful for the lessons that the Lord has taught me this year. It's been a busy, crazy year, but it's been so good. The Lord has definitely made it clear to me that I need to slow down. Reprioritize. Breathe. Spend time with Him. Learn to be still. These are all very difficult things for me to do. I am a very restless, driven person. I like to work a lot. I like to do all the household stuff. I like having a list of things that I can do. Even this morning I got up early, exercised, read my Bible, put a chicken on to cook for the noodles I will make next & then there are several other things to accomplish before heading to Mike's family Thanksgiving. I'm so grateful for the things to do & the blessing that I can be to others through my work. Making the noodles & a pumpkin angel food cake to take to my family Thanksgiving so my mom won't have to make those dishes. Keeping the house picked up & clean so that Mike & I can both enjoy living here together. I like my jobs, my roles, whatever you might want to call it. But this year with all of the sickness I've had, the wedding planning, the marriage adjusting, the Lord has made it clear that He wants first place. He deserves the best of my time & service. Evidently, my role as wife & the fulfillment of that job is in service to the Lord. The same with my involvement at church. Where I fail the most is spending time one on one with Him & being quiet in spirit so I can really pray. I am so thankful that the Lord bothers to teach me these things. It amazed me that He cares that I have an abundant life through a close relationship with Him.

Those are the major lessons I have been learning & what I am most thankful for. Ultimately, I am the most grateful to the Lord for letting me know Him & that He would care to know me. The rest of what I am grateful for I think I will post as a crazy, crammy paragraph below, typed out just as they pop into mind...

my husband - sweet, patient, kind, & full of love for me. our home - little, cozy, & full of happy, fun memories. my family. Mike's family. my Bible. our jobs. the Lord's provision. physical health & strength. good friends. lovely church family. freedom of our nation. internet coupons. double coupons sales. dependable cars to drive. paid time off. good health insurance. internet access at home. a lovely wedding with lovely people and lovely photos. my bike. a lovely autumn season. all things pumpkin - pie, bread, ice cream, cake. forgiveness - others have granted to me & the ability the Lord has given me to grant others. restored relationships. tears of joy. tears of empathy. love. laughter. music. my ipod. time spent running, walking, biking. sunshine. faith. peace. freedom from fear - a direct gift from God.

I could keep going, but the noodle making is calling! I wish you all a wonderful day of Thanksgiving - may your heart & soul be focused on the many reasons we should be thankful to the Lord today!