It's been a little while I know, but today is a special day to consider what we are thankful for and what better place to write than here...
Today I am thankful for so much. I have a nice, cozy house, a new car, a decent job, a great marriage, wonderful friends and family, and a God who loves me unconditionally and knows me better than I know myself.
I'm most thankful this year for three things:
1. God's faithfulness. I won't lie that I'm not struggling today with feeling sad over not getting something that I desperately want right now, but I have a faith in God that is stronger than my circumstances and I know that He has the plans for my life laid out already, and that I need to trust His timing in all things. It's a daily, if not constant, battle for me at this time, but I know that His timing is perfect because He has proven that to me time and time again. So while life may not be going according to my plans, it is going exactly according to His plan, and that's all that truly matters, because He has promised, "To never leave me, nor forsake me."
2. My marriage. It's hard to explain to anyone that hasn't found true love, how it's possible to be more in love today than I was on my wedding day or the day we got engaged or even the first time we said, "I love you." But the truth is, I love my husband more today than I ever thought possible. He is my best friend, who holds my hand through life's struggles, who makes me laugh when all I have are tears, and who is patient beyond words with me. I couldn't ask for a better friend and companion to go through life with. We may not always see eye to eye, and I'm not going to pretend that I don't get annoyed with him at times, but at the end of the day, I love my husband and best friend more than life itself, and I can't imagine life without him!
3. Friendship. Now this might seem silly to some, but to me it is everything. I have been so blessed in the past two years to have found some of the truest, dearest, and most genuine friends. Until now, I didn't know what a true friend was, because I always felt that I had to live up to their expectations, to earn their friendship, to prove myself worthy. But the friends God has given me now, don't care what I wear or what I own or where I am in life, they just love me for me. And what's more, I can be real with these women. We rejoice for each other in triumphs, we're genuinely happy for one another when things are going well. And when things aren't going well, we cry for another in sorrows, and we pray for another. I'm not afraid to share my struggles with these women, because they don't judge me for it. No, they just share their struggles too. Authenticity is the key, and true compassion is the foundation. It may have taken me 25 years to find it, but I am so blessed by my newfound friendships!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! May you each be as blessed as I have been this holiday season!!
