Thankful List

This year it has been a struggle for me to come up with a list of things I am thankful for. It’s not that I am not thankful. I KNOW I am blessed. It’s just that in so many ways the things I am thankful for seem so....well ordinary.

I am thankful for my family, for friends, for my team, for my dog Boaz, for a beautiful apartment to live in, for a job that I enjoy most of the time, for the opportunity to live and work in China. I really am blessed.

So, why then is it hard for me to come up with a list this year?

I was put to shame last week as I celebrated Thanksgiving with my Chinese friends. They were not thankful for material things. They were thankful because of the things He was doing in their lives. They were open and vulnerable about what they were thankful for. One friend was thankful that He had been taking her through a difficult time of refining. Recently her journey has been so painful for her and yet she thanked Him in the midst of that pain.

I was humbled by what they shared and it got me thinking. Other than the obvious things, what I am I thankful for this year?

Here is my attempt to be open and vulnerable about what I am grateful for...

I’m thankful for....

His Word - “Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.” Psalm 119:35 I sometimes struggle with meditating on His word on a daily basis. And yet when I do, I do find delight. His word is delightful!! It is so real, so transparent. I can relate to what is written on the pages.

Loneliness- Ok, you may think I am crazy to write this one. I am lonely. I have been for awhile. This has been a difficult part of my journey. And yet, there is something sweet about this. I am thankful for His presence in the lonely times. I am thankful for all the ways He has met me. It’s not that I don’t often wish the loneliness away, it’s just that I am so grateful for the way that it has helped me to run to Him more. I am grateful that my heart has not yet hardened to the loneliness and I can still feel....still hope.

Ok, that’s it!! Two things. Two things that I can express in words anyway. :)

I hope that you too, have a fabulous Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be thankful for!