My Thankful Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays ever, and it always is a good reminder of all that I have to be thankful for.  Not only family and friends, but also, just the fact that I am a child of God and that He loves me enough that He died for me.  What an amazing thing to be thankful for.  I have my whole life ahead of me and I cannot wait to see where God will lead me and how He will use me. 

This Thanksgiving was a bit different than our usual Thanksgivings.  There were only 5 people at our table instead of 6.  We tried Skyping with Dad while we cooked in the kitchen, but service was awful and so that complicated things a bit, so we didn’t get to talk much.  I am proud to say that since my cooking skills have improved, this is the first Thanksgiving that I have no just made the sweet tea and set the table.  I actually cooked, and nothing was burnt or ruined. I’m getting good at this. ; )

Once we all were ready to eat our dinner we got out the laptop and called Dad on Skype because he wanted to pray with us before our meal.  It was an emotional event of course.  Dad isn’t just the turkey carver, but he is the head of our home.  He provides for us and he is the glue that holds us all together.  But we are so thankful that over the last 9 years of being in the Army Dad has only deployed twice.  We are so thankful for that and know that we are on the home stretch. 

After eating until we were stuffed we played games and watched movies.  It was such a nice relaxing afternoon.  I even took a little snooze.  Usually our tradition is to set up our Christmas decorations the day after Thanksgiving, but we were all sitting around and decided, why not today?  Let’s start setting things up right now.  So, we got all of our Christmas decorations out of the attic, put on the Christmas music and started un-wrapping everything.  Well, were we ever in for a surprise!  After opening up boxes and pulling stuff out I noticed a piece of paper laying in one of our Christmas boxes.  Immediately I noticed the name signed at the end of the letter that was written and it said one word: Dad.  So, I called everyone into the room and we read a note that my Dad hid for us to find on the day we set up our Christmas decorations.  It was so sweet!! I am so thankful for having my Mom and brother and sisters with me this Thanksgiving and that they will be with me for Christmas.  I can’t even fathom being alone in Afghanistan, like my Dad is.  He is truly my hero.  I have been praying for him so much and that time will go quickly for him and that he won’t be too lonely over the holidays. 

I am so thankful for such a great Thanksgiving.  God has blessed me with the most amazing family I could ever imagine, and such great friends who are always there for me and always love me no matter what.  One of my teachers challenged all of us students this week to make a list of 100 things we are thankful for.  What a challenge.  I think I may do it, although the day is almost over.  After listing all of the basics you really have to think hard about the things you are thankful for.  I always just think of obvious things like family and friends and my house, but what about things like just breathing, or being able to worship my Savior freely.  So many thing I take for granted, and I can’t wait to make my list of all of the things I am thankful for, and to really think hard about it.  I don’t want to take anything for granted.  I want to be so thankful for everything I have and everything I am blessed with every day and not just on Thanksgiving. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!