Give Thanks

I have started and stopped so many posts...that this time I think I will try to keep it simple.

After all, it is none of my business if people out there are coveting material things, and say I LOVE my _____(fill in the blank with a pricey object). It is none of my business if people are getting carried away with buying stuff just to have more stuff. And really it is none of my business if people out there have no problem contributing to the $450,000,000,000 spent during the Advent season. It is none of my business, so I won't spend anymore than a paragraph of my post sharing my opinion on it. There. Done.

But I will talk about how grateful I am for Thanksgiving Days spent with my husband's fabulous family. I have a date to make a quilt with his Aunt Linda thanks to our day of Thanks. Yep, she and I are going to quilt while B cuts wood with his uncle and the boys ride around on the gators. They have a stunning home out in the country and she has an amazing room dedicated to her quilting! I have goosebumps just thinking about how awesome my first quilt will be! This was just one of the many conversations I was able to have with his family that will bring me even closer than I am to some of his extended family members. The boys played and played, until Christian crashed with a tummy ache. I am grateful that it didn't lead to more than just that.

I will also talk about how grateful I am for another beautiful Christmas tree. We tried to cut one down at a tree farm this year, but did not like any of the trees we saw, so we ended up at old faithful--Todd Whiting in the Crossroads parking lot. Our tree is smaller than we've had in past years, but we did that on purpose so that we wouldn't spend as much on a tree as we have in the past. This year we spent about $25 less than we have in the past, for a smaller tree. Now, for the first time EVER we have too many ornaments! It is a good problem to have!

I will also mention how grateful I am to be married to my husband. He is an amazing man who is genuine and full of integrity. He is loving and kind and strong and brave. I love to look at his face, and when I stop to think about where my life could be, I am all that more grateful for him. I am blessed to be his wife, to share life with someone who thinks like me and values the same things as me. I am blessed to have someone love me unconditionally and who is not looking me to make a mistake, because I inevitably will. Instead, he supports me and encourages me to be a better person. Thank you God for bringing us together.

I could never do a post about my gratitude without mentioning my boys. They are beautiful and smart and honest and kind. I could not have envisioned more creative and charismatic boys if I had tried. They are learning that life is not about have the latest new toy, or the newest invention. They are learning that old school ways may actually have some real merit. In a time where "stuff" and consumerism is so prevelant, I am proud that they are beginning to see through it, and I pray that with God's help and wisdom, they will not fall prey to it the way others have. And during this Christmas season, that is something that weighs heavy on our minds as we try to teach them that this season is about Christ and what HE means to us, and not how much we can get under the tree.

Of course, no post about the blessings in my life would be complete w/o mention of my friends and family. I am speechless sometimes when I think about the men and women who surround me with their love and support. Their wisdom far exceeds my own and they have shown me that I am stronger, and more capable than I had ever known. I have never in my life had as many people believe in me, and help me to succeed as I do right now.

Indeed, to finish a post on gratitude I must give all thanks and praise to God our Father. I have learned to look to Him when I am weak, and I have learned to praise Him when I am strong. I am not one who is good at paraphrasing the Bible, but I have so many verses that come to mind when I think of my relationship with Him. And the first to enter my mind is "The Lord Liveth, and blessed be my Rock and let the God of my salvation be exalted." Psalms 18:46 This is of course a song too, and I now have it in my head and will sing it to sleep...maybe not? "O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation." Psalms 95:1

My subbing position is over, which means I will have more time to blog! Who knows, I may even get back to regular blogging! I'll probably be able to catch up with my picture posting, I'll bring you up to speed on what has been going on, and I'll even post some pictures from our OH SO busy weekend! I'll probably even be able to answer some of the many questions I have been getting lately! I'll have to do another Q&A, so if you have any questions please, leave one in the comments or send it to my email, and maybe I'll add it to the future post!