Our family has so much to be thankful and grateful for. I often remind myself that being blessed isn't because of all the "stuff" I have or get to do. I'm blessed because God sent his son, Jesus, to this earth to live and die as a man, but then rise to conquer death three days later. He did this because He loves me and wants to save me from my sins. He is a great, mighty and good Father who is trustworthy and perfect. That is why I am blessed. All the other amazing gifts in my life...my husband, my kids, my family, our friends, our church, our school, the ability to work, the joys of travel, a comfortable home, and a million other things I can't list out...are all extras. They are good gifts from a Father who loves His child.
I am most often reminded of this when I observe nature. God's natural creation is amazing. In the most surprising way recently, God's beautiful creation overwhelmed me. As I was driving to and from a continuing education seminar earlier in December (something I wouldn't normally say is a blessing!), this is what I saw. This top picture was on the way in that morning and the next was on the way home. It was a wonderful way to be reminded of God's greatness.
In the light of knowing why I'm blessed, I was thinking earlier about some of the "extras" in my life that I'm so thankful for. I made a collage of 9 great moments that make me smile with a grateful heart. These pictures from left to right, top to bottom are: spending time with my girls at the Orlando Marriott Grand Lakes this summer, our family's trip to Biltmore after picking the girls up from camp, enjoying the beautiful Colorado mountains with Elizabeth and Jeff Smith, our family playing at Beach Club over Labor Day weekend with the Henderson family, my day climbing the Great Wall of China, our family at the last Braves' game at Turner Field, meeting up with family at the Falcons/Broncos game in Denver, enjoying the Mendocino Headlands with Ryan, and the girls at the Atlantic Station tree during our ice skating/Christmas fun evening with the Smiths.
These moments are great, and I love every single one of them. They bring me joy when I think about them. I'm also reminded how many more moments I've had this year that I don't have pictures of...laughing with Ryan, cuddling with my girls, praying with Asian believers as they learn to trust in God, talking with friends about things on our hearts; there are so many moments that I'm thankful for. There were some hard moments this year too. Watching Mia go back in to surgery last January, and losing my Granny in October are two I can put on here; others are too personal. In those hard times, I can still see God at work, and I will choose to be grateful for them too.
2016 has been a wonderful year, and I look forward to seeing what 2017 will hold. I pray that through it all, God will be glorified.
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