Give Thanks

As we enter into the holiday season we are reminded frequently to give thanks and to count our many blessings. How easy it is to remember my blessings because I have so much to be thankful for! God has been so good to me and my family, and I couldn't help but begin to compile a list of things that I have a reason to give thanks for. There are probably more things than I will remember to include, but these are the things that are particularly important to me at this moment.

Thank You, Lord, for two parents that love you, follow your commands and who fell in love over 38 years ago. (Happy Anniversary tomorrow, Mom and Dad!)

I thank the Lord that He has given my parents a love and a commitment to each other that is strong and secure. I pray that God will continually bless their love and their relationship.

Thank You for a brother and a sister who helped mold me and influence me into who I am today.

Thank You for the relationship I have with my siblings today. Please develop and deepen our relationships even still.

Thank You, Father, for allowing me to be raised in such a positive family environment. Our family was not perfect, but God's presence was with us and His love was felt.

Thank You for godly, loving in-laws. I am so thankful that they raised Kevin to fear God and to love his family. I am so thankful that they are a rich part of our lives. We are so blessed by their love and generosity!

Thank You for the good friends you brought my way growing up. They say you become who your friends are, and I am glad to say that most of my friends helped build me up, not pull me away from my walk with Christ.

Thank You for Kevin and for nine wonderful years of marriage. I never believed I would be so blessed being married to my very best friend! Thank You for the love and commitment we have for each other so that we are willing to fight for our relationship and so that we can overcome our struggles. I am even thankful for the major hurdles that have come our way. I would never want to have to deal with them again, but even though they were difficult, challenging and painful, they have proven to strengthen us and have proven how committed we are to each other.

Thank You for a friendship that grows deeper and stronger each day we spend together. There is no one I would rather spend time with than Kevin.

Thank You for the miracle of life that You have allowed us to experience three times in completion and another that You are allowing us to experience right now. What an absolutely and amazing miracle! Please watch over and protect this little one as it grows.

Thank You for three healthy, strong and intelligent little boys. We are truly blessed by their love and their lives, and our lives are so much richer because of the many lessons learned through parenting.

Thank You for the daily exhaustion of motherhood. It may seem like a surprising thing to be thankful for, but it proves that my life is full and that our family life is active. This is a blessing because I get to spend so much time with my boys.

Thank You for the moments of rest in our busy schedules. We love and appreciate the time to recover and become refreshed so that we are better parents and a better spouse to each other.

Thank You for Kevin's job. With employment in the Detroit area suffering so greatly right now, we realize how blessed we are to be employed. His paycheck may be less than before, but we are far from starving or going without.

Thank You for helping us manage our finances when times are lean. Thank You for the generosity of others that have helped us keep ahead of the bills.

Thank You for our photography business. It may not be turning an income at all yet, but it is a wonderful outlet for my creativity and it has the potential to grow. How blessed I am to be able to do something that I love and that fits into our busy family schedule and allows me to be with my family!

Thank You that we are able to homeschool our boys. The experience has taught us so much and has stretched us in ways we had not expected. I am so grateful for the opportunity to train, build and teach my little boys personally. I pray for continued blessing as we continue this road of discovery.

Thank You for our house. It is so far from perfect, but it is perfect for us in so many ways. Thank You for it's warmth, for it's protection and for it's space. We are extremely blessed with this house and I don't ever want to lose sight of that.

Thank You for our church. We have a great body of believers to learn and fellowship with, and the pastor's are wonderful, godly men. I am so appreciative of their guidance, direction and creativity. Thank You that we have places to minister and give back within the church.

. . . . my list could go on and on - we are so blessed! Thank the Lord for His amazing love and for the amazing abundance He has poured out on us! We are truly thankful!