The Joy of Thankfulness

or
My Thanksgiving ABCs

For forty days I'm deliberately choosing to find joy. To start from the beginning, click here 

Day 39

Several years ago around this time of the year, my spiritually beautiful friend told me about an ABC list of things she was thankful for. This past week I decided to borrow her idea. 

In the midst of a hard week, I learned about the joy of being thankful.

(Some letters have multiple things and i'm missing a letter or two because I didn't want to make something up just to fill the space)

Enjoy!

A 

Abby: my sweet co-worker and sister in Christ. I don't know what I would do this year without her walking through this new job.

B

Babies: my sweet new niece that I love to see, and I've got several friends who are pregnant now. So thankful for new life!
Books: I've loved getting to choose what I read and borrowing books from friends. My reading list is getting longer and longer. I am so thankful it is all personal choice :)

C

Courage: I recently just finished reading through the book of Joshua. It was repeated several times to "take courage" because God is fighting for you. I am so glad that He is!

D

Donors: So thankful for the generous people who are willingly giving out of what God has given to them so that I can work at LeaderTreks and live in Chicago (with warm clothes ;) )

E

Encouragement: On trips we use the "encouragement circle" to teach students about specifically encouraging one another. I'm learning so much about the importance of that in my own life and am thankful for that lesson so I can properly use it with the students.

F

Family: People who will always love me and accept me for who I am. Life gets tougher the older you get - my family is there through all of it. 

G

Giving: I am thankful for all God has blessed me with and that He has asked me to give out of that.

Grace: God graciously has given me life with Him.

H

Heaven: There is a place that is better than this earth. Oh how thankful I am that I have a perfect place with my Lord to look forward to.

I

Insomina w/ friends: Recently stayed up super late with a friend. I wouldn't want to do this every night, but I am thankful for taking that extra time to hang out with a friend I won't see for several months.

J

Joy: This joy challenge has taught me so much about my attitude and how I view my circumstances.

K

Kitchens: Strange how I so enjoy having a kitchen near by that allow me to cook for myself.

L

LeaderTreks: If you haven't been able to tell, I love my job and am so thankful that God has placed me here in Chicago with them.

M

Memories: Somehthing intangible, but oh so wonderful. My grandfather has dementia and my favorite time of my visit with him is when he actually remembered something about the pool they used to have in the backyard of their house in California.

N

Nana: My dad's mom. She is the best grandmother ever. I could not be more blessed or more thankful for any other woman.

O

Old friends: I spent half of my Thanksgiving break seeing old friends from college. Laughter, sincere talk, long hugs, and doughnut mornings. I love how God has blessed me with friendships that are continuing to be strengthened despite the distance.

P 

Praise(Adoration): I am thankful that my God is the One True God worthy of all praise and adoration.

Prayer: I am also thankful that the God of the Universe has created a way that I can communicate with Him at any moment in my day.

Q

Quilts: I am thankful for these beautiful blankets that took so much hard work and have so much history attached to them.

Questions: The best way to show someone you care. Definitely something to be thankful for.

R

Redeemer: My God is the Redeemer, because of His work on the cross I can sit here in worship and thankfulness of who He is and what He has done.

S

Songs/singing: I am thankful that God created voices that are not only used for talking, but are also joined with the beauty of instruments to worship our God and glorify His name through the talents He has given us.

T

Traveling: Despite my long journey's from this past week alone that were not so enjoyable. I am so thankful that God has given me the means to travel because that allows me to visit so many people that I love dearly and hug them in person.

U 

Unending Love: How can I not be thankful God's unending love that he lavishes over me.

V

Values: Knowing what I believe and why. Living for a purpose.

W

Weakness: I am thankful that I am weak and I have a strong God to depend on. I will take the steps that He has given me to take, and trust Him to take care of the rest.

X

X-rays: I am so thankful that modern science allows us to look inside our bodies and we are not just guessing at what is wrong with us. It is a part of God's provision in keeping His holy temples healthy.

Y

Yams: I used to avoid sweet potato casserole at Thanksgiving because of the odd color... now I think the younger me was crazy! It is one of my favorite dishes!!

Now that I've shared some of the things I'm thankful I'd love to hear what you are thankful for. Leave a comment to join the party!