A Thankful Heart

It’s Thanksgiving time again! Although, as Megan says, Mother Nature seems to have boycotted it and gone straight to Christmas because it is a winter wonderland outside!! We got so much snow this week, resulting in 3 snow days! J Being my first snow days ever, it’s been incredibly fun. And (minus the one class I went to on Monday) I don’t have class all week so it’s basically a vacation here.

It’s fun living somewhere that snows. Of course I’ve seen snow before, but it’s always been on vacation or winter camp. This is my first time being in a city when it snows. And it’s the first time that the things I see every day, all the places I go and all the houses on my street are just covered in snow. My daily routine was suddenly planted at the North Pole. I don’t know…it’s hard to explain but it’s a very new and exciting experience J

Alright, enough about the snow! Back to Thanksgiving.

I just re-read my Thanksgiving blog from last year and it’s so interesting how things change. I’m still thankful for all those things I wrote down, but reading it again, the thing that I’ve found myself most thankful for this year is how much I’ve grown since last year. So many amazing things happened in the last 12 months that have caused so much sweet change in my life. Change I never would have expected, but that has been such a blessing.

This year, I’m thankful for family and friends. I’m thankful for the gifts God has given me. I’m thankful to be in Seattle. But most of all, I am just so thankful for the ways I’ve met the Lord this year. I think about how many things He’s taught me and I can’t believe it’s only been a year. He has enlightened the eyes of my heart, given me more of the Holy Spirit, and taught me about His faithfulness. There has been a relentless pursuit to love me and grow me into the woman He wants me to be. I’m learning more about who that woman really is and how that will affect the plans He has for me. It’s incredibly exciting. And I’m thankful for all those things. I’m thankful that He has chosen to open my eyes and soften my heart towards Him. It’s been a beautiful experience.

Far too often, I’m incredibly selfish and focused on all the things I don’t have. All the things that I’ve convinced myself I “need” but when I really think about it, I am blessed beyond anything I could have asked for. During this wonderful Thanksgiving week, let’s focus on all the blessing He’s given to us. That anything we have to be thankful for, we only have because He chose to bless us with it.