20 Reasons To Be Grateful

If I've learned anything at all this year, it's exactly that. Someone else in this world is happy with much less than what I have. And yet most days I still find adequate time to be unhappy about something. It's useless. And that's why I love Thanksgiving. Because I'm forced to actually think about the good things instead of the bad. It realigns my perspective on things.  

Today was a really hard for our family. Really hard. I'm crying right now. 

My Papaw passed away four months ago yesterday. He was always the life of Thanksgiving day. Most Thanksgivings I would show up and hear nothing but laughter coming from the kitchen. Typically because Papaw would be telling/playing a joke on someone. 

Today, I showed up at Mamaw's house to find most of the family crying. We didn't have anyone stealing the rolls before it was time to eat. There was no one snoring on the couch after the meal. There wasn't any UNO games played after the meal. There was no one there to stabbingly tickle me in the rib cage after I was stuffed full of Turkey. He wasn't there. 

And my cousin is gone to the airforce. She wasn't there to tell me my pies were the best thing she'd eaten all year. She wasn't there to wrestle me on the living room floor. She wasn't there to lay on the couch and complain about how fat we'd made ourselves. She wasn't there. 

I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be a wonderfully happy time. And it was. It was just really hard. And I cried a lot. 

A lot has happened this year. And so I've made a list of 20 reasons I'm thankful this Thanksgiving. 

Oh, so you say you enjoy reading long list posts? And you enjoy lots of pictures? 

Kay. 

Brace yourselves for this one. 

1) Grace and Unconditional Love 

Without grace, I'd have no reason to live. I live through grace. Without grace I would have no hope. I'm simply nothing more than a mess of a person. But through God's unconditional love and never-ending grace, I've been saved from myself. I have an eternal hope. I have a reason to live. 

What kind of lover would lay His own life down for me? What does a grace look like that someone would continually,eternally accept me as who I am; mess-ups and all? 

I absolutely love the poem above. 

Replace the word 'Sun' with 'Son.' And that's what grace looks like. That what unconditional love looks like. That's who God is.

2) My Family 

Generic, I know. 

But it's so true. I have no idea where I'd be without them. My Dad, my Mom, and my three brothers. I'm so   proud of each of them, I love them more than anything, and I'm extremely grateful to have them in my life. I don't have a picture on the computer of the whole family together. But we do exist. 

And I'm also very thankful for my non biological family. You guys know who you are. 

Absolutely Adorable 

3) My Mamaw and Papaw 

My Mamaw is a gorgeous, amazing, and a very wise woman. I'm so blessed to still have her in my life and for all the time she has invested in me. 

And I'm overly grateful for the 18 years God gave me with my Papaw. Even though I miss him terribly, I'm extremely thankful for the time I got to spend with him here.  

4) My Old Friends, and my New Friends. 

Like they say, "Make new friends, keep the old. Those are silver, these are gold." 

It's funny, because my very best friends are all away from me. Living away, or gone away. But like they say, "Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them. But you know they're always there." 

Missions trip to Haiti.  June, 2012

5) Haiti
I can't describe how awesome it was that I finally got to go on a Missions trip this summer. I prayed for so long for that opportunity. And it changed my life forever. 

I will forever hold a special place in my heart for Haiti. 

6) My Health 

This time last year I was pretty sickly. And this year is a totally different story. I'm so thankful for the way I feel this year. 

7) My Education 

I know I complain about school and homework all the time. But in reality, I'm overly blessed to have the opportunity to go to college. There's so many people who would do anything just to get the chance to do what I complain about doing day in and day out. 

8) My Jobs 

I have nothing to not be thankful for about my jobs. My bosses are amazing and flexible with me and my school. And I work with great people. 

9) My Church 

There are so many places on this earth where people are killed just for meeting to worship God. I am overly grateful to have the freedom to go to church, to have a wonderful Pastor, and an awesome church family.

10) A Free Country 

Freedom don't come free. And I'm thankful for those who are fighting for me to be able to lay my head down on my pillow tonight and sleep in peace. 

11) My car 

It may not be the snazziest thing around. But I freakin' love my car. It takes me everywhere. And I'm so happy to have my new tires on there. It's just awesome. 

12) Dark Chocolate and Almond Butter 

Food guys. C'mon. What's not to be thankful for? I swear these two foods are what keeps me sane some days. 

13) Silly Times 

Why so serious? 

Actually, I'm pretty serious most of the time. So when I have a really silly time, it's indefinitely awesome. 

And very appreciated. 

14) Music 

I don't have as much time to play piano these days. 

But music pulls me through a typical day. I hum, I dance, I sing obnoxiously loud in the car. Music makes me happy. 

15) The Outdoors   

We live in the country, and I love it. I love the fact that I can walk for hours through a forest and not see a single soul or building anywhere. I love the fact that I can lay outside and stare at nothing but stars at night and hear nothing other than crickets and coyotes. There was a time when there was more than trees and fields in my front yard (like concrete and more concrete). Which is why I appreciate it so much. 

16) Tears 

Okay, this may be an odd thing to be thankful for. But I cry a lot. Not in public of course. 

But I cry when I'm really happy, I cry when I'm really sad, I cry when I'm overly stressed, I cry when I'm mad. Heck, I even cry when there's nothing to cry about. 

I definitely wonder how insane I'd be if I couldn't cry. 

17) My Dogs 

I mean, how could a person NOT love those faces? 

Buster, my running buddy

Dice, my Baby 

18) A Place to Call Home 

There are so many homeless people on this earth. Just to have a roof over my head is something to be grateful for.

19) The Gym

Should have expected this one. 

Without the gym, I may go crazy. I don't get home in enough time to run outside. And I'm NOT waking up at five in the morning just to run. And weight lifting is sort of impossible without the gym. I love the gym! 

20) Rest 

Life is insane. School is crazy. Some days, nothing goes right. People are annoying. I'm annoying. Things are overwhelming. And it's on those hard days, when I appreciate rest. 

This Thanksgiving I'm really appreciating rest. I'm loving not having to do homework like a freak for two whole days. It feels good to just sit back and rest.  

21) You 

Yeah, you. Thanks for reading my blog =)  

And with 20 minutes to spare, Happy Thanksgiving!