My Heart Is Filled With Thankfulness

Last night I was reading Psalm 118 during my quiet time and thinking just how fitting that Psalm is for Thanksgiving. I have so much to be thankful for this year! Not that I don't always have much to be thankful for, but this year is extra special to me.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. We slept in, woke up and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (a family tradition) while the delicious smell of sweet potato casserole, turkey, and dressing floated through the house. My grandmother came down, bringing four yummy pies, and then the our friends, the Kamphausen's, joined us for our Thanksgiving meal. We spent the afternoon talking and laughing, and overall it was a day to remember! The memories of this Thanksgiving will be dear to me because it is my last as a single person. For anyone who doesn't know, Paul ask me to marry him last month. We're getting married in June, so next year the holidays will be divided up between our families.

God has been so gracious to me and my family and I am so thankful to him for so many undeserved blessings. As a reminder to myself, I'm going to list just a few of the many ways that the Lord has blessed my life:

1. Sending His Son
2. Opening my eyes to see, my ears to listen, and my heart to understand
3. Forgiving my sinful heart
4. Redeeming me with His blood
5. Giving me the capacity to praise Him
6. My parents
7. My brothers and sisters
8. My extended family
9. Paul
10. Paul's family
11. My best friend, Anna
12. My church family
13. My friends
14. Freedom to serve Him
15. America
16. His Word (the Bible)
17. A voice with which to praise Him
18. Health
19. A healthy mind capable of learning
20. Protection from physical harm
21. My family loves the Lord
22. Bringing us to BCLR
23. Pastor Tim & his family
24. Sound, Biblical teaching
25. Missions
26. "My kids" in Ukraine
27. "My kids" in South Africa
28. My engagement to Paul
29. Good food
30. Laughter
31. Joy
32. Sorrow - and how we learn and grow from it
33. Color
34. Imagination
35. Sound
36. Smell
37. Touch
38. HUGS!
39. Smiles
40. Eyes
41. Music
42. My dogs, Mysti & Chip
43. Technology (cell phones, Internet, blogs, etc.)
44. Warm, fuzzy blankets
45. Discipline
46. Homemade butterscotch pie... YUM!!!!
47. Twinklie lights
48. Dedicated teachers of the Word
49. Homeschool moms
50. Scholarships

...I should stop now, but there is soooooooo much more to be thankful for!

"You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;you are my God; I will extol you.Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;for his steadfast love endures forever!" (Psalm 118:28,29, ESV).