Happy Thanksgiving

The day is almost over, but I was able to snatch a few minutes to write a post.  It would be a shame to have spent a whole month on gratitude and yet not write an entry on the very day of Thanskgiving.

Last Thanksgiving, I was still recovering from a week in the hospital and grappling with my new ulcerative colitis diagnosis. Having been sicker than I had ever been in my life, I was filled with gratitude to simply be alive. This is not to say that I truly felt I was going to die when I was in the hospital, but there may have been a few points where I thought death may have been preferable. But the Lord, in His mercy, saw fit to bring me through that time, and even now I cannot think of that time without being overwhelmed with thankfulness that my life, while completely changed by my diagnosis, is still my life, and it is in the ever-capable, ever-trustworthy hands of God.

Today, I am thankful that I am healthier now than I was a year ago. I am thankful that I have not seen the inside of a hospital all year. I am thankful that I have wonderful health insurance. I am thankful that I got to spend the day with my amazing husband, precious daughter, and wonderful in-laws. I am thankful that I live in a country where I am free to worship Jesus, free to speak and sing His praises whenever I desire. I am free to read His Word and have free access to it. I do not have to live in fear of persecution.

I lead a truly blessed life, and I pray that on days that I feel discontent or wish for something more that I would remember all that God has given and stop and dwell on the goodness of the Lord.

Happy Thanksgiving, friends. May you know the peace and love of Christ.

Day 26: My Parents

We don't get to choose our parents, but I am so glad that God gave me mine. They have had to put up with a lot from me over the years, and their love for me has never wavered. I was never one to get in trouble at school or trouble of any kind for that matter, but I know I gave them headaches for different reasons. I was an emotional train wreck for most of my adolescence, and even when I was in grad school, I called my mom on more than one occasion, crying my eyes out and desperate for her kind words and wisdom. They have always been my biggest cheerleaders, and I am so thankful for how they have loved me. I also love seeing how they love Charlotte, and I pray they have many years of grandparenting ahead of them.

Mom and Dad, you are the best. I love you forever.

 

Day 25: Taking a Shot at Health

(Yes, I skipped days 23 and 24. Yes, I know I'm lame.)

Today I am thankful for something that I never thought would be a part of my life: a weekly injection. Humira, which is an injectable drug, has been my companion for going on a year (I can't even believe that). While it took a really long time to work, it does finally seem to be working, and I am so thankful for how it has given me back my health.

I hate having to give myself a shot once a week because it hurts every time, but if that is what it takes to feel better, then that is what I will do. My doctor told me at my last checkup that I could go back to taking the Humira every other week, which is the typical dosage. I haven't done that yet though, mainly because I am afraid of what will happen if I do. Because it did take so long for me to feel good, I am hesitant to change anything.

The first time I had to get the shot, I went to my doctor's office so the nurse could train me. The first dose is a "loading dose," so I had to do 4 shots that time, and I remember crying my eyes out because it hurt so much and because I couldn't believe this would be my life now. When I reflect on that time now, I am encouraged because God has brought me a long way and what once was so traumatic has become routine.

I don't know how long Humira will work, but I will be grateful for it as long as it does.

Day 22

Today I am thankful for quiet, simple nights at home. Candles burning, pizza delivered, Wii games played. I am glad I am married to my best friend.

Day 21: O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" is my favorite Christmas song. I love the haunting melody, the minor key, the hope and longing expressed in its words. Last year, my church choir sang a version that I have decided is my absolute favorite. (We're singing it again this year, but I am sadly not going to be there that Sunday.) The only version I could find on YouTube is not good quality, but you can listen to a recording by following this link. Trust me, you won't regret it!

I am so thankful for music and for songs like this that are timeless and theologically rich. I can't wait to teach all of the songs I love to Charlotte.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

Days 19 and 20

Yesterday I was thankful for this:

Sunset near Jackson downtown post office

 Even though I don't love the fact that it gets dark earlier in the winter, I do love getting to see the sunset every day as I drive home from work. It is such a lovely way to conclude the work day.

Today, I am thankful for this:

Oh, you know, just wearing a coat indoors.

For the longest time, Charlotte refused to smile in pictures. In fact, in some she downright grimaced. There is a family picture that we took with my immediate family last year that cracks me up every time I look at it because Charlotte has an almost murderous look on her face. The only time we managed to capture a smile is if she didn't know we were taking her picture. Now, however, she loves to cheese it up for the camera, and while the smile above is not her genuine smile, I love the way her little face scrunches up.  Every time I see her smile, I smile too. How can you resist that face?

Day 18: Ode to the Slow Cooker

Dear slow cooker, how do I love thee?
Let me count the ways.
I love thy easy controls, low and high.
I love thy cavernous depths, where many a chicken breast
cooks to tender, juicy perfection,
where many a soup simmers with a delicious hum.
With simply the touch of a button, dinner is started,
peace of mind attained.
Friend to tired mothers and weary workers everywhere,
you greet one and all with succulent aromas
after a day of toil, and happy families gather around you,
a circle of love.

***

So, pretty sure Elizabeth Barrett Browning just rolled over in her grave, but seriously, how awesome is the slow cooker? :)

Day 17: My Church

3 years ago on Reformation Sunday, Stephen and I joined First Baptist Church. It was one of the best decisions we ever made, and I am so thankful that God led us there. We have a pastor who is passionate about preaching God's Word and is wholeheartedly devoted to the gospel of Christ, and we have a congregation that is warm and welcoming and like a family. Stephen and I have both been challenged in our walks with the Lord and have developed some wonderful relationships.

When I first got sick last year, we saw firsthand how God uses the body of Christ to be His hands and feet. So many people reached out to us during that time, and it was one of the things that reminded me daily of God's love for me. People brought us meals for weeks, visited me in the hospital, called, sent texts, emailed, sent cards, and most importantly, prayed for us. I am so grateful that we had our church family there to help us through that really difficult and stressful time in our lives.

I would encourage anyone reading this to seek out a church home, if you don't already have one. I count my church as one of the biggest blessings of my life.

Days 15 and 16

Once again, I am playing catch up on the weekend! I will try and do better next weekend!

Day 15: I am thankful for the date night that Stephen and I had on Friday night. Our church sponsors these every so often, and all the parents get to drop their kids off at church for a few hours of free babysitting and then go on a date! We went to Outback and had a yummy dinner and loved spending time together while having conversation that didn't revolve around a toddler. :)

Day 16: I am thankful for the fun day we had as a family. We got several chores done in the morning and then had lunch at Chic-fil-A and let Charlotte play on the playground before going shopping at Target, where we got gifts to put in our Operation Christmas Child box. I love Saturdays when we can all just relax and spend time together as a family.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

Day 14: For Chestnut

When I was a sophomore in college, my parents surprised me with a new-to-me car, a 2-door black Saturn. I loved that car; it was worlds cooler than my first car (a red Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback), and it even had a sunroof! Unfortunately, I only enjoyed that car for about 8 months before it was totaled in a tornado that hit my college campus the fall of my junior year. During my Thanksgiving break that year, my parents and I went shopping for a new car for me, and they ended up buying me a brand new 2002 Mazda 626. When we drove it off the lot, it had fewer than 10 miles on it. I quickly named my beloved car The Chestnut Cruiser, in honor of her color, which the manufacturer dubbed "chestnut" (aka maroon).

This car was awesome first because it had 4 doors, which made it much easier to bring lots of friends with me on various outings. It also had oscillating air vents, something that some people mocked but which I absolutely loved. Another favorite feature was the little space solely intended to store a pair of sunglasses. I have many fond memories of the early years of this car. It saw me through my final semesters at Union, accompanied me as I moved back home to Memphis for a year and then again when I ventured out to the unknown of grad school a year after that. It was my faithful companion on the many treks I made across the state while Stephen and I were dating long distance.

Now, 11 years after I got it, the car is definitely the worse for the wear. The paint on the hood (and along the tops of the door panels as well) is peeling; the chrome license plate frame (I'm sure that's the technical term) fell off long ago; there is a random fuse that goes out every few months; and when I start the car, a nice squeal lets everyone around me know of my existence. Truthfully, sometimes when I am walking to my car, I cringe because it's just not pretty to look at anymore. It's old and tired, but it's also still running. I have had very few major problems with my car, and it has almost 112,000 miles on it. Even though I'm not driving the nicest car around (or even the second or third nicest, haha), I am still driving a car. I don't have to worry about how I will get to work or how I will get to church or to the store to buy food. I don't have to rely on public transportation.

So, Chestnut Cruiser, though I may mock you, I love you. And when the time comes for us to get a new car, I just might miss you, too.

Me showing off my car the weekend I got it. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

Day 13: Messiah

As I've already mentioned, my church's choir is performing selections from Handel's Messiah as our Christmas program this year. I am really thankful for timeless music, and I am thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to learn these rich, complex songs. I've had "His Yoke Is Easy" in my head for days, and so I'm sharing it here. It's lovely. Also, I'm glad I'm not a soprano. Mercy, there are some high notes in this music! :)

Day 12: Home Sweet Home

When we moved into our house about 3 and a half years ago, things didn't go quite as smoothly as we'd have liked. Our air conditioner broke and stayed broken for a month (in JUNE) while we fought with (and lost to) the home warranty company. We also found out that our backyard was riddled with fleas, as evidenced by the small army that attacked our poor dog and made her reluctant to go out into her new, huge playground. I was downright discouraged by this sequence of events and struggled to remain grateful during those first few weeks of living in a new-to-us house that wasn't living up to my idea of the American dream.

Fortunately, the air conditioner FINALLY got fixed, and we eliminated all the fleas. We were able to start enjoying our home and making it ours, and I am so thankful for it. It's not very big (in fact some days it feels entirely too small), and it's in need of some updates, but when I walk in the door, I feel at home. That's enough for me.

Our backyard this summer. It's awesome.

Day 11: For the Veterans

Today I am truly thankful for those who have served and are still serving our country. I know I take for granted the sacrifices that military personnel and their families make on a daily basis. Because of the men and women of the armed forces, we can go to sleep in peace. We have freedoms that don't exist in many places around the world, and the people of our military have played a role in securing and sustaining those freedoms.

Thank you, veterans. A day really isn't enough.

Days 8-10

Obviously I'm doing a little catch-up today. Kind of sad that I only made it 7 consecutive days of blogging. I was thankful for things each of day but fell asleep early and didn't get to blog them.

Day 8: I am thankful for getting off work an hour early. This is a common occurrence on Fridays, and I love it. I am very blessed with my job.

Day 9: I am thankful for Charlotte's friends at daycare. One of her friends had a party at FunZone, a bouncy house place in town, and Charlotte had the best time. It was cute to see her interact with her pals from daycare.

Day 10: I am thankful that Charlotte successfully made it through the night in her toddler bed. We decided to convert her crib yesterday, kind of on a whim, and it has gone really well so far. She slept there for nap time yesterday and today, and also made it all of last night without getting out of bed. We will see how it goes tonight, but I am hopeful. I can't believe how big she is getting! 

This high-quality photo courtesy of my iPhone.

I hope you all have had a great weekend!

Day 7: Cozy

Today I am thankful for chilly nights that require sweatshirts and flannel pants and comfy slippers and oh-so-soft blankets.

Ahhh...

Day 6: Let It Rain

It has been a rainy day, and while I sometimes think of rain as a huge nuisance, today I am thankful for it. I love the sound of rain hitting the windows or lightly drumming on the roof. I love the way it makes the streets glisten. I love the way the air smells right before it rains. Without rain, we wouldn't appreciate the sunlight nearly as much. Without rain, there would be no rainbows.

I also have some fond memories attached to rainy days. I wrote about this at length in an earlier post, only a year after Stephen and I had been married. What struck me when I went back and reread that post is this sentence: "And while we've been dealt several times of physical rainfall, thus far we've been incredibly blessed not to experience that metaphorical rain of hardship, rain that seeps into your soul and causes you to take cover." I almost laughed when I read that because we've definitely seen our share of hardship since then, most of which occurred in the last year. But I am grateful for the difficult times we have faced because they have strengthened our faith and also strengthened our marriage.

Tonight, as I listen to the rain fall outside, I praise God that He will always provide shelter during the storms we face.

Day 5: Magically Delicious

I'm keeping it simple and superficial today. Today I am thankful for cereal, specifically this cereal:

Yes, I know they're junk and terrible for you, but it's my childhood in a bowl. What can I say? :)

What's your favorite cereal?

Day 4: My Girl

Even though she woke up at 5:20 this morning and didn't go back to bed. Even though she pitched a screaming fit the whole way home from daycare. Even though she is the pickiest eater on the planet.

I can't help but love this girl.

She gives the sweetest hugs and kisses, has the best giggle, and lights up a room with her smile. I am so blessed that I get to be her mom.

Day 3: Wuv, True Wuv

This was one of those weekends where I happened to be gone for a majority of the time. Yesterday, all of the morning and a portion of the afternoon was spent at choir practice. Today was another choir practice and then assisting with children's choir, and before that I went to run a few errands. This meant that Stephen was with Charlotte for most of the weekend. I am so very thankful that I am married to a man who is not only a good husband but a good father.

I knew I loved Stephen when I married him, but my love for him has only grown as I have watched him parent Charlotte. He is such a loving, kind, thoughtful, and fun father. He is often far more patient with Charlotte than I am, and nothing brings me more joy than seeing the two of them laughing together.When I was sick last year, he bore the brunt of the work at home and was practically a single parent, but he never complained or even acted like he was tired. He was my rock during that time, and I can't imagine going through the past year without Stephen.

I am so grateful for how God has blessed me with my husband. I pray that I will never take him for granted.

Day 2: Make a Joyful Noise

Today I spent about 5 hours practicing with my church's choir for our Christmas program, and I don't think I could have enjoyed myself more. We are doing selections from Handel's Messiah this year, and I am looking forward to it immensely.  Before this year, I was only familiar with 2 of the songs, so it has been a tremendous learning experience for me. It also doesn't hurt that we have a fantastic choir director.

I have loved singing since I was a little girl and have been a part of choirs since elementary school. There is something about music that speaks deeply to my heart, as I know it does so many others, and the fact that I also have the chance to sing the songs that have so moved me is such a gift. I am thankful for the ability to sing, and though I am not the best singer, I sing with my whole heart and like to think of it as a small offering to the One who gave me my voice.

Here is one of the songs that we are singing, entitled "And the Glory of the Lord." Obviously we will sound just like this recording. Ha! :)

30 Days of Gratitude

Those of you on Facebook have probably seen the trend of the past few years that involves stating one thing you are thankful for each day in November. I have never participated, but this year I felt drawn to the idea of deliberately looking for something to be thankful for each day. However, I have decided to post my daily "thanksgiving" on my blog, so I can be more verbose than a Facebook status post usually allows.

Today I am thankful for the beauty of nature. I was especially struck by the vibrant reds, golds, and oranges of autumn as I drove to work this morning. I took a moment to thank God for the beauty He places all around us, the beauty I get to enjoy in the midst of the monotonous, routine drive I make every day. The wind had the leaves on the trees practically dancing and clapping, as if in praise to their Creator, and I thought of the day when we will all bow before Him and worship. What a day that will be.

What are you thankful for?

A picture from our recent trip to Natchez Trace State Park