30 Days of Thanks

Happy November!

Happy fall!

Happy Thanksgiving month

to one & all!  :0)

It’s November…a time for chilly nights and crisp mornings…a time for beautiful fall leaves and acorns on the ground…a time to pull down big fluffy blankets from our closets and cozy up with the ones we love.  And (most importantly!) a time to GIVE THANKS.

It has really been on my heart to cherish and relish this holiday season; to slow down, be still, take it in, and enjoy every opportunity of this wonderful time of joy, of thanksgiving, of wonder, and of grace. (I even had a dream nightmare a few weeks ago that it was December 26th and Christmas was over and I realized I had missed it.  I remember waking confused and so sad inside!  I vowed then and there…in my half-sleep / half-awake state…to slow down and truly enjoy the holidays this year.)

This time of year is such a blessing from God.  Everyone (including me!) loves the Christmas catch phrase “Jesus is the reason for the season”…but I also think He is the reason for the Thanksgiving season as well!  Tip of the hat to the Pilgrims for their part, but even they did it to thank and praise HIM.  So, with Jesus the reason for both approaching Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons, I’d like to announce a new challenge for my blog self. In following with Emily’s “31 Days of Grace” in the month of October (which I LOVED! She is amazing!!!), I am excited to begin

“30 Days of Thanks”

For each day in the month of November, I will slow down, look around, thank God for my blessings, and post a thought / picture / message on something I am truly thankful for.  My plan (so as not to get overwhelmed or behind...I THANK you in advance for your patience!) is to post a few days of thanks at a time every Wednesday and Sunday.  I might jump on in between those days with other random thoughts or events, but I'll try to post every Wednesday and Sunday some thoughts of thanks.  So, with the announcement and admin work accomplished...

First and greatest of all, I thank God for…

GOD.

I thank Him that with billions and billions of people in His world, that He would love and be ever-present with little ol’ me…who sometimes sins…who sometimes is self-righteous…who sometimes is scared…who sometimes is lazy…who sometimes is a total worrier…who sometimes is mean or moody or tacky…who sometimes gossips…who sometimes fails…who often lives with giant dust bunnies…who is totally unworthy.

Though this list is totally incomprehensible and infinitely immeasurable, I thank Him for…His everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3), His presence (Psalm 139, Psalm 145:18), His protection (Isaiah 41:10, Psalm 5:11), His gift of daughter-ship (Romans 8:14-17), His amazingly wonderful grace (Acts 15:11, Ephesians 2:8), and His promise through Christ Jesus of forgiveness (1 John 1:9), redemption (Isaiah 43:1, Ephesians 1:7), salvation (Acts 4:12), and eternal life with Him in Heaven (John 14:1-3, John 3:14-16).  Hallelujah!

“But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory

through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:57