Thoughts for Thanksgiving

"Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

 For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations."

Even when life seems difficult, I have to admit that God has been gracious beyond anything that we could EVER deserve. Throughout the year, we all need to remember what blessings the Lord has bestowed on us. 

A couple years ago, I started a simple tradition of writing a list at the opening of the year of all the good things I was looking forward to that year. (not necessarily goals that I had to work towards accomplishing, although that certainly is good; just moments I was looking forward to.) At the close of each year, I have been astonished by the dozens of surprises God gave us the past year that I had no idea He would. Do it; try writing down all that God has done in your year...! You will never finish. Because of course there are blessings in disguise as well. I also include these in my list at the end of the year. The lessons learnt, trials overcome, chastenings sent, etc. Sometimes, those are the greatest blessings of all. Because what really matters is growing in the Lord, and learning more about Him. 

I hope you have found much to be thankful for this year! 

Studying history always really opens my eyes to what I have to be grateful for in my life, and what is required of me in my future as a citizen of a presently peaceful land. Both of those aspects are overwhelming. I know I'm a little late in learning all this, but the full impact of what it means to have so much at our fingertips hit me.All my life it was a thought in the back of my mind however, this year as my family friends and I have discussed together, I saw how much has been invested in we young people....and that we can't let it go to waste. When I think of all that the Reformers and Pilgrims (and the Christians before them!) went through to honor God's truths....and how we so often take everything we have so easily for granted....we must not continue in apathy! We must be grateful for what God has given us and use it wisely- to glorify and honour Him!

I am thankful for.....

.....Where God has placed me in life.....and who He has placed me with!.....

                                     

                                           November 2012

My family June 2012

....My friends...and people in general!....(too numerous to picture here!!!)

My closest friends: my siblings! November 2012


....opportunities to learn from great Christians and to grow up with like-minded people...

...good books...

....costumes....

....times to enjoy God's marvelous creation...

And.....need I continue? Because I could! 

But instead, I will ask you what things you are especially thankful for today! 

I will share more about what I loved about this year....at the beginning of the next one, like I usually do!  :)

Have a blessed Thanksgiving. I'd love to hear about what you did to celebrate God's goodness!