Being Thankful

Ecclesiastes 3:1 teaches us that there is a time and a season for everything.

 
This week is our time for Thanksgiving.  Yes, I know Thanksgiving should be an attitude we maintain throughout the year and not one day in November, but I also think it's helpful and healthy to take at least one day out of the year and focus on God's blessings.  Those blessings aren't just material possessions and the presence of family, but also include the hurts and pains and trials you've come through and the lessons you've learned.

 
For me, the biggest event in our lives in 2011 (so far) was the move from Immanuel Baptist to Gracey West Union Baptist.  It was a whirlwind adventure.  Announcing at one church and town, and moving to another town (6 hours away) in less than a month is no small or easy task.  Yet, God worked in that quick time frame.  Here are just a few things I'm thankful for from that event:

 
  • We got a good house, located not far from most of the schools my students attend and only a mile from the ball fields most of our students play on.  It's a little small, but it fits our family like a glove.

  • We landed at a great church.  I'm amazed more and more each day by the sense of community I feel at Gracey.  Yeah, I know it's still the honeymoon stage, but I still get a sense that students and adults here like each other and enjoy serving together.  That's not manufactured.  It's not something you can force.  You either do or you don't, and at Gracey, I get the sense they do.

  • We're closer to Sara's family.  With Sara (my wife) being an only child, it relieves a great burden to be much closer to her mom.  In just the past three months, Sara has been able to be in Owensboro to check on her mom when she was sick.  Just last week, she was able to stay the night with her grandpa in the hospital.  That's not something that could have happened in Pikeville.

  • We've learned to rely on God even more.  Through everything, we've had to lean on God for support - financially, emotionally, spiritually and sometimes physically.  He's never let us down.  He's always come through.

 
I could go on and on, but needless to say, God has blessed us.  Take time this week (it doesn't have to be on Thanksgiving Day) and thank God for the blessings, for the trials and for everything in between.

 
Happy Thanksgiving.

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