grateful

This year it has hit me harder than any other - that when Thanksgiving rolls around, I kind of pop into the "oh yeah, it's that 'give thanks' time of year" mode. Suddenly I'm aware of how often I complain and how, really, if the things I didn't give thanks for disappeared overnight, I'd be left with ashamedly little. How when someone says "thanksgiving," I more often think the day as opposed to a manner of life. I long for thanksgiving to be how I live, not just something I celebrate. 

If every breath I take, every moment, is grace, my life should be one big thank-you. 

And so here's a "thank-you" list. These are things I love and am grateful for. The list is dedicated to God, the Giver of all gifts, the Giver of all.

• my husband, Christopher. my love, my dream come true, my example, my leader
• my family, both sides! love you all. you have made my life beautiful. 
• my darling friends. you trust me enough to share your friendship with me, and you listen to me and pray for me and laugh with me. I treasure you!
• salvation - full, free, forever
• grace unmeasurable, lavish, undeserved
• the beauty of golden sunlight at sunset
• laughter of little children
• the Bible, truth for every day, every situation
• beautiful books with beautiful stories that make me cry
• the ocean
• the brokenness before forgiveness, the restoration afterward
• kisses when he comes home :)
• warm, soft, enveloping light
• all those family inside jokes
• hot chocolate in the morning
• knowing someone understands you
• love, all of it - giving, receiving, witnessing...
• smiles
• a word fitly spoken
• Psalm 13:6
• playing violin and piano without reserve
• specific answered prayer
• the Thanksgiving church service full of Scripture, singing, and testimonies
• dinners that turn out perfect
• dinners that don't turn out perfect, but it's still okay :)
• candles
• that moment when you let all worries cease because you have given it to God
• when someone sings the last note of "Happy Birthday" off-key
• Faure's "Pavane"
• 4 days of no work for the husband
• baking cookies with no time schedule
• hearing a song for the very first time, and loving it
• driving with the window down and the heat on my feet
• the faithfulness of my GOD
• the beauty of His holiness
• EVERYTHING!

Thank you, Hannah Nicole, for inspiring me to write (type) out a list! Your blog goes on here as well. I absolutely love the beauty, poetry, and simplistic loveliness of your posts. :)

"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." {Hebrews 13:15}

May your Thanksgiving, friends, be full of beauty, grace, and the goodness of our great God. Happy Thanksgiving!