A different thankful outlook

This year Thanksgiving is a bit more heightened for me. With being away from all my friends and family I realized how before I was "thankful". I was comfortable where we were in life. We always had Thanksgiving with my parents, Ed's mom, one or another brother and his family and our great friends Anne and Andy. Every year. This year however, it hasn't taken too much effort to really see how thankful I am. This year my parents are here, but no close friends, no mother-in-law, no brothers, no "comforts". With all the comforts of the past 13 years in Grand Rapids now memories, the things I am thankful for are so much more apparent.

Ed. The past weeks of being deconstructed, disturbed, being taken apart piece by piece and learning how to put everything back together, he has so many times put himself aside and taken care of me. To make sure my heart is still beating. Living. Learning.

Sam and Alina. These two have gone with the flow so well and so easily. They are such huge examples of living life to the fullest and loving God with no strings attached. Child like faith? Yeah....they have it and it's such a huge blessing to see it grow in them and such a huge example to me.

Friends. I miss them. A lot. My heart doesn't ache to the point I can't catch my breath any longer, but now it's more of a dull ache. The long lasting kind. I have amazing friends and I'm so glad distance doesn't lessen a friendship.

Creator. This morning Ed and I were able to watch a beautiful sunrise over the mountains from the coziness under the hide-a-bed covers. Deep hues of pink, turn to orange, to yellow to sunshine. To have such a huge, imaginative, awe-ing God take the time for me. To die for me. To love me. To offer a life changing relationship. To be patient with my wandering heart. To listen to my questions and thoughts even when they're laced with frustration. To create me.

Really, nothing else matters. I am thankful for the things I have, but they are just things. We have SO much. So much!! Shelter. Food. Beds. Clothes. Heat. Running water. Toys (for big and small). So much more than so many people. Could I live without them? Sure. I am grateful for these things and know I have taken them for granted every single day. But to have a family who loves, to have friends who come along side in life's journey to cheer, cry and encourage, to have a God who loves unconditionally. To be living. Period. These are worth living for. Worthy of deep thankfulness. For these four things, I am thankful and believe I have a very blessed life.