Without jumping into a rambling apology for how long it has been since I last posted, I am very sorry I've been so absent from this blog. But, since it has been so long, I have plenty to say and I wanted to take this opportunity first to declare just how much I love Thanksgiving and how excited I am for it. It is, by far, my most favorite holiday!
I have so much to be thankful for. And I bet you do too. But, if you're like me, amidst the commuting and the traffic, the busy work day and the weather, you probably forget just how truly blessed you are.
Among the many blessings for which I am overwhelmingly grateful, I count the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving. How special that we have been given a day carved out (pun intended) just for reflecting on our blessings! "What?!?" you say, "I thought Thanksgiving was for overeating and watching football". And to you I reply, the opportunity to eat, to enjoy the company of the ones you love, and even to watch football -- all blessings. And I am grateful for those too.
I have started to regard November as the month that marks a new year. I know most people think January 1st is the date for new beginnings, or even the first day after Labor Day in September, when that "back-to-school" feeling hangs in the air. But for me, it is November. November not only holds my favorite holiday but as of last year, my wedding anniversary as well.
I cannot believe it has been a year! And what a year it has been!
Marriage is most definitely high atop the list of blessings for which I am thankful. Hubs and I have both grown so much in the past twelve months and it is amazing to see what the Lord is doing in each of us as individuals, while simultaneously shaping the heart of our marriage. I welcome the blissful times - when we're lost in a moment so silly and so special no one else would understand - and the hard ones - when we need to lean on each other with all of ourselves because we are not strong enough to stand on our own - all of these reveal God's grace and provision for us.
I was so thrilled to kick off November by celebrating our anniversary surrounded by friends and family. We looked at photos, watched videos, ate cake, and reminisced about our wedding day a year ago. I'm thankful for those photos, those videos, definitely the cake, and especially the memories.
We've also recently joined a small group through our church. Each week, we meet with a group of young married couples and discuss the challenges and blessings of marriage. We're arming ourselves with the tools necessary to stave off The Enemy as he tries to destroy this most precious relationship. I am thankful for the new friends we've made in that group, for the discussions we have, and for the lessons we take home.
I am thankful that we'll be welcoming new life into our growing family in April...no, not me and Hubs yet...but my brother and sister-in-law are pregnant again (!) and her sister (who I count as my family too) is also pregnant -- they're due within weeks of each other. How awesome?!?!
I am thankful that though I live in a fallen world, I was born in a country that embraces freedom. I can speak and think freely, express my individuality and proclaim the righteousness of The One Most High. I can go to my church on Sundays and raise my hands and my voice in praise without fear of persecution.
Of course, I am thankful for my family and the constant reminder not to take my relationship with them for granted. We are a big, tightly-knit group that enjoys spending a great deal of time together. And I am reminded on a daily basis that so many people don't have that in their lives. I couldn't imagine a life where I don't see them as much as I do, and I'll always be thankful them.
I could go on for days listing the blessings in my life. In fact, I challenge you to make a running list in your mind, in your prayers, in a journal, of all your blessings -- you will be astounded at God's goodness.
And it is for just that I am most thankful : God's steadfast goodness and His redeeming grace. For His unrelenting love and for His forgiveness. For the skills with which He has bestowed me and the passions He has placed in my heart. And, most importantly, for the promise of eternal life that comes from knowing His Son. Now, that is something worth celebrating!
I hope you take my challenge to consider your blessings this year. I hope you remind yourself of them even after the last of the leftovers have been picked off. I hope you feel God's presence in your life and the love that He has for you. Have a Happy Thanksgiving.
All my love,
Jaclyn
