Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
I just wanted to pop in and say hello {this is a pre-scheduled post from before we left for our trip, just fyi!} and wish you all a blessed day filled with lots of good food!
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. It’s a great day to reflect on the year, be grateful for your blessings, eat way too much, and officially kick off the holiday season. As a kid, we always spent Thanksgiving with in Michigan with family, but as I get older there have definitely been changes to tradition. Last year at this time, we were living in Colorado and hosting our first Thanksgiving dinner.
This year, we’re in Jerusalem.
It’s crazy, but I love it.
I honestly have no idea where we’ll be at this time next year. But I know that God is in control and will work out everything the way it’s supposed to happen and that’s honestly one of the things I’m most thankful for. Looking back over the past few years, I can so clearly see the Lord’s divine providence at work in our marriage/life. I had no idea when Cam and I started dating almost five years ago that we’d end up living in four different states in two years, or that I’d ever be living in a place like Tahoe.
But Christ has been with us every step of the way.
I remember sitting around with my parents and Cam last year stressing out about we should live in Tahoe. All of the potential housing options we were looking at seemed terrible and I was really anxious about how it would all work out. Now almost a year later, I wake up to this view every morning:
Is our house perfect? No.
But is it perfect for us right now? You better believe it!
It’s amazing to me that God loves us enough to concern himself with the everyday details of our lives. Seeing how he’s worked everything out these past few years continues to strengthen my faith and makes me excited for the future
because I know that He has great things in store.
And that’s not to say that every minute of this year, or the past few, have been easy. There have been challenges, trials, and bumps in the road. But what makes all of that worth it is knowing that the Lord will work all things out for good, and that as much as I try and plan everything, so much is really out of my control.
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love
him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Romans 8:28
That’s definitely something to be thankful for!
Here are some other things, both big and small, that I’m also thankful for this year:
+good health and the ability to get out of bed each morning
+my sweet parents who I love so much and are always there for me, even from across the country…they’re always just a phone call or a plane ride away 🙂
+my wonderful extended family at home in Michigan who always gets together to celebrate whenever we come home…can’t wait to see them at Christmas!
+the fact that my sister and I are each getting to travel–earlier this month she went to Thailand for work, then Cam and I left for Israel/Turkey…she’ll be home in Michigan for Thanksgiving, but we’ll still be overseas…we’ll be back in Michigan for Christmas, but she’ll be in France…which means that we aren’t going to get to see each other until 2013…and although that’s definitely hard to swallow because we’re so close and I miss her tons, I am happy we’re both getting to have these experiences of getting to travel the world in our 20’s
+my husband’s kind and generous family and getting to experience the joy of having nieces and nephews
+the fact that 4 of my close friends got engaged this year–I can’t wait for all the weddings to come in 2013!
+Tahoe sunsets
+the resources to go grocery shopping and always have a fridge filled with food
+fall boots and colorful, cozy scarves
+nightly snuggles with Lola and how she loves to fling herself right between Cam and I on the couch and wedge her silly little self into a cozy little nook
+Tahoe sunshine streaming in my window every morning
+a roof over our heads, complete with a gorgeous view of the mountains
+the ability to work from remotely for a company that I’m proud to be a part of–along with the fact that I can work from home (and in my pj’s!) or bring my work anywhere so we can travel more
+Trader Joe’s giant Pound Plus bars of dark chocolate
+Tazo Zen Green Tea
+warm slippers and cozy socks
+
Instagram–I love being able to snap, prettify, and share random photos as well as being able to follow along with friends and fellow bloggers
+having a gym here in Tahoe that Cam and I enjoy attending together
+the freedom that comes from living in a place where you can just be, without the pressure of feeling like you need to dress a certain way or keep up with the Joneses
+Lola’s underbite, giant ears, and incredibly expressive face that keeps me smiling
+new friends here in Tahoe that have been so welcoming
+old friends that I can not see for months and pick up right where we left off
+the way I feel when I eat Paleo and give my body the nutrients it needs instead of tons of sugar
+pretty snowflakes outside my window when I’m warm inside
+the ability to be able to travel as much as Cam and I do, whether it’s a short weekend trip, going home to visit family, or an extended overseas vacation
+blogging, for both being a creative outlet and a way to connect with so
many incredible individuals with similar interests, especially living
in a place that’s so isolated
+all my lovely guest bloggers who filled in for me this week/last week!
and most of all…
+my wonderful husband who truly is my rock and such a wonderful leader of our little family–he’s my best friend that I not only love deeply but also respect tremendously
+how much our marriage has continued to grow this year
+the incredible peace that comes from assurance of salvation in Christ
+Lola…because she deserves to be on this list 100+ times 🙂
Now tell me, what are YOU thankful for this year?
Have some turkey and pumpkin cheesecake (my favorite Thanksgiving food) for me today everyone since I will most likely be eating hummus and falafel! Xoxo
