Day 30: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful that in 1863, in the midst of civil war, President Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving to be observed each November. Not all countries do this. May we each take this time to pause and reflect on the rich bounty of God toward our nation and her people. I pray that you have a great day of celebration with family and friends. I am thankful for each of you who enrich my life by sharing through this social network.

 

 

Day 29: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful that I have many more blessings than this challenge allows. Though 29 days have passed so far, I trust that I will always remain thankful for the blessings of God in my life and will take some time each day to express that appreciation to Him and others.

Day 28: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for the opportunity to serve our next missions term in Liberia. This country and its people need the restorative work of the Holy Spirit, not only spiritually but emotionally and physically as well. We are expecting much fruit for our labor and the labor of those who have gone before us planting seeds of faith and works.

Day 27: Thanksgiving 2012

Day 27:  I am thankful for cool, crisp early mornings and hot, relaxing bubble baths.

Day 26: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for music. I have discovered a local radio station that plays music from the ‘70s. Oh, what memories of high school and college it evokes! Christmas music is always a favorite, and religious music from Southern gospel to contemporary Christian can stir my heart to praise and worship. I wake up singing and continue so throughout the day. To quote a lyric, “I got the music in me!”

Day 25: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for my brothers and sister.  Though time and circumstance have altered our relationships, they remain the keepers of cherished family memories and hold a place in my heart that cannot be filled by anyone else.  I first learned to love and be loved through each of them.

 

 

Day 24: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for the children in my life. Children remind me of the values of wonder, honesty, and creativity. What an opportunity and responsibility we have to speak into their lives and to allow them to speak into ours!

Day 23: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for sleep. I have never had a problem with falling asleep at night nor sleeping soundly. The older I get, the more I revert to childhood and even appreciate the once-dreaded nap. Oh, to refuel for another day or another task!

Day 22: Thanksgiving 2012

Today I am thankful for fast food. Variety, cost and convenience certainly make my life easier and will be sorely missed in a few months.

Day 21: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for technological advances - specifically computers and internet connectivity. I have become so dependent on both for business and pleasure.

Day 20: Thanksgiving 2012

I am so thankful that we spent our extended first missions term (aka second term) in Malawi, Africa. The Malawi Assemblies of God is comprised of beautiful men and women full of passion and energy. There are few experiences that rival travel and ministry across this extraordinary country.

Day 19: Thanksgiving 2012

I am so thankful that God allowed us to minister with the Pentecostal Assemblies of God in the country of Namibia. This was our first assignment as missionaries and our first time to live in another culture. I know we made mistakes, but our friends were so gracious to love us anyway. We forged relationships that will last a lifetime.

 

Day 18: Thanksgiving 2012

I believe that the commission to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world is for all Christians - at home and abroad. I am thankful that God called me to be both a minister and a missionary. 17 years of pastoral ministry in the USA and 9 years in foreign missions have brought challenges, faith, and fulfillment that I pray have served to honor God in obedience to His great call.

Day 17: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful that I am now a homeowner (well, us and the bank). We lived in parsonages for 17 years, then missions/rental property for 10. Thanks to a good housing market for the buyer, low interest rates, and God's direction and provision, we have just purchased a home for retirement some day. We bought a bit of a fixer-upper, but so thankful for a place to call home in a few days.

Day 16: Thanksgiving 2012

I have loved taking pictures since I got my first camera as a child.  There is no telling how many photos I have taken since that time.  I am thankful for cameras - past and present - and  modern-day digital technology.  I no longer have to mail off film and run to the mailbox every day hoping to receive my snapshots and wondering how many of them will have turned out okay. 

Day 15: Thanksgiving 2012

I am so thankful for health and strength. At our different stages of life, I can still outlast my girls when it comes to shopping or completing projects.  Medical tests upon our return to the USA resulted in a clean bill of health - the better to continue serving as the Lord leads and enjoying life to the fullest!

Day 14: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for running water and electricity. It is hard for Americans to realize sometimes that people TODAY in many parts of the world, live without these luxuries that we take for granted. I have not yet had to haul my own water, but many of my friends do daily. I have had to go prolonged periods without electricity and function by candlelight; whereas, so many of my friends do not even have the option of electricity where they live.

Day 13: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful that I have the abiltiy and license to drive a vehicle.  The attached photo shows me beside a trusty little vehicle that served me well up and down the roads in Malawi.  I have driven all over America, in Namibia and Malawi, Africa, with an international driver's license and licenses from Texas and Malawi.  I have driven on some of the best roads and highway systems and some of the worst roads with no highway system. I have driven fast, and I have driven where walking would have been faster.  In every situation I am thankful for the independence and adventure available to me because I can drive.

 

 



Day 12: Thanksgiving 2012

I am so thankful that I am a Christian.  I am glad that I came to know Jesus Christ as lord and savior at an early age.  Since He and His word are one, the Bible is my primary source of counsel and instruction for living.  It brings me closer to God and God closer to me.

Day 11: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for a dad who always believed that I could do anything or be anything that I wanted in life. Not all girls are encouraged to pursue education or professions, but my dad always had high expectations for me and bragged to others about my abilities and choices.

Day 10: Thanksgiving 2012

I am thankful for ice cream. Yes, I said it: ice cream. I could paraphrase Will Rogers by saying that "I never met an ice cream I didn't like." A friend told me once that she was very particular when it came to ice cream. I said that I was also - it had to be cold! I've traveled to several countries, and this frozen confection greeted me at each one. Comfort food for all reasons and seasons.

Day 9: Thanksgiving 2012

Today I am thankful for my beautiful, new granddaughter, Kinsley. I was blessed to be in the delivery room with my daughter and son-in-law and to experience the miracle of birth. Shelby was a trooper, and Josh couldn't have been more supportive. I am thankful that they allowed me to be so involved in this special day.