Thankful

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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I wanted to take a minute to share 20 things that I am thankful for today.

1. I am thankful that I am a mom.  Sounds cheesy obvious, but it’s the truth.  It’s a joy to serve my 2 crazies every day (even though I may not always be super joyful when they wake me up at 5 am).  It’s a privilege to be discipling and shepherding their little hearts to know Jesus.  I don’t do this perfectly, by any means, but I know the Lord is doing something even through my weaknesses, forgetfulness, and failures.  To God be the glory.
2. I am thankful for Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips.
3. I am thankful for my husband who, in the car driving home after a trip to Target late last night in search of last-minute Thanksgiving items, made me laugh so hard while I was taking a big swig of water that I spit it out all over the inside of the windshield.  I am also thankful for the way he speaks truth to me when I start fretting about our world and he helps me remember what God thinks about current events.
4. I am thankful for church leaders who seek the Lord above all things and a church family who love and serve so well.
5. I am thankful for my flat iron and days with low humidity.
6. I am thankful for worship music.  Anything by Bethel or Kari Jobe or Amanda Cook is my total jam right now.  Put it on while washing dishes and you will NOT MIND THE CHORES.
7. I am thankful for our neighbor who is always out walking at the same time we leave for school each morning.  There is something so comforting about seeing a person doing the same thing over and over.
8. I am thankful for when I get to watch the hubs play basketball games with Happy Buddy.
9. I am thankful for THIS NEW BOOK by Jan Karon.  It is totally on my Christmas list.  If Father Tim were real, I would make sure that he and I were BFF. #mitfordfan
10. I am thankful for my girlfriends who let me call them and ask questions like, “Is it ok that my children have not had a fruit or vegetable in 3 days?” and “WILL I SURVIVE THIS?!” and who pray me through any challenge.
11. I am thankful for Happy Baby’s strong will.  This really SANCTIFIES ME, but it also reminds me that this amazing kid is not limited by his physical weaknesses.
12. I am thankful for generous in-laws who help the hubs and I catch a few date nights every now and then.
13. I am thankful for my sweet preschool students who make going to work a lot of fun.
14. I am thankful for my mom who sprinkles my life with all kinds of magic like the surprise of a new felt nativity set, her encouraging words, and for letting me eat all the grapes that she had wanted to use to decorate the turkey platter.
15. I am thankful for Floor and Decor who is helping make a home project dream of ours come true (more on that coming soon!!!!).
16. I am thankful for a job that allows me to snatch a few snuggles and love from my boys throughout the day.
17. I am thankful for my brown boots that I WILL WEAR in spite of the fact that it is still 100 degrees in South Florida.  It’s NOVEMBER, Mother Nature.
18. I am thankful that I still get to rock Happy Baby to sleep each night even though he is now huge and we don’t really fit in the rocking chair together anymore.
19. I am thankful for the imperfect moments of motherhood that constantly point me back to Jesus – the One who gives me real joy no matter my circumstances and Who is always good and worthy of praise.

And finally…

I am so thankful for YOU, dear readers.  What a tremendous honor it is to write for you here.  I love every one of the comments you take the time to leave on this site.  You encourage me and make me excited to open my computer each day.  I feel so blessed to have this community of people dedicated to loving and serving their families for Jesus.  You girls are amazing.  I am so in awe of you!

We are visiting my parents in Georgia right now and it has been perfectly lovely.  Minus the part where I am writing this at 1 in the morning and will HIGHLY regret this decision when I am asleep in my mashed potatoes and gravy tonight.

I am praying that y’all are having a wonderful time with your people.

Happy Thanksgiving.

– Julie 🙂

“Let us come before Him with thanksgiving…” Psalm 95:2