with a Grateful Heart

Over the weekend I started mentally writing this blog post. For me, the process starts when a thought gets triggered by something and I follow it’s path, seeing where it takes me. And while I’m on the trail, I’m mentally writing. Choosing and changing words, figuring out the correct grammar and punctuation. This is just my method, I have no clue how others do it.

*Photo found on Pinterest

My latest thought trail was on thankfulness. Since I was considering writing about the things I’m thankful for, I was trying to figure out how exactly I'd do this. I could never list it all, so I would need to wheedle my list down for the purpose of a blog post. I decided on sharing with you all a little about the four amazing people I grew up with and the one who gave me his last name. Giving you a little glimpse at how blessed I am to have them in my life and why I’m so very thankful for them.

Then I got to thinking how, due to it being the week of Thanksgiving, there will probably be tons of others posting about thankfulness. Maybe sharing their own lists or just writing on what being thankful means to them. My social media newsfeed is already filled with thankfulness posts. And as we sit around the table during the holiday, we’ll take turns sharing what we’re thankful for (or at least that’s my family’s tradition… what do you and yours do?)

Knowing that so many others would be writing and talking about this same thing, it began to seem that a post on thankfulness this week would be so… blasé, so “of course she wrote that”, so “duh!”. I didn’t like the thought of doing what everyone else was doing, so I figured I just wouldn’t do it. I could write it some other time, maybe. It would just be so cliche (I wrote that last part with a very sarcastic and mock horror tint towards myself, Friends…)

Then, as I was driving home after feeding the equine herd this morning, there was a check in my spirit. 

Acknowledging all He's done for me and thanking Him for it is never a mundane thing. No matter what week it is or what holiday is approaching or if everybody else is writing about the same topic or not - I am called to “give thanks, for the Lord is good. His love endures forever!” And there is absolutely nothing cliche about that.

*Photo found on Pinterest

So with the check to my spirit, my heart also experienced a necessary shift and I’m once again eager to write this post because I want to tell the world how incredibly good my God is.

We're told to count our blessings and I think it's important to do so because it helps keep our hearts in a place of gratefulness. When we're focused on all the things He's already done for us, on the many things He's given us, it's hard to remain worried or unhappy. Giving Him thanks brings us peace. At least, that's always been my experience. It takes my attention off of the things I'm wanting in the future and helps remind my heart to trust Him because of how well He's always taken care of me before.

There are so very many things I’m thankful for, I could never list them all! Just a few would be:

Salvation. Redemption. Grace.

Indoor plumbing. Working vehicles.

Friends. Best Friends. Pets.

Mercy. Forgiveness.

Yumminess of tomatoes.

Trials that draw me closer to Him.

Clean water. Popcorn.

Hearing ears. Seeing eyes. Working limbs.
Warm socks. Gloves. Scarves. Coats.

Love. Laughter. Trips down memory lane.

Good paying jobs. A home built with love.

The list is never ending! And while I could continue to type out thing after thing that I truly am thankful for, I'd rather tell you about some of the people I’m thankful for.

So without further ado, let me share with you about five of the most amazing people I know.

My Daddy

The first man to ever put stars in my eyes. And all my life, he’s steadily supported me in chasing those stars, however they may appear to me.  Whenever the adventure gets tough or the journey seems scary and just too much for me to take on, he’s the one I seek out to have pray over me. I love to hear my dad pray. There’s something so immensely comforting in it to me, something so soothing. His voice reminds me of a gentle thunder, it holds a reassuring power for me.  And the times when he’s moved to tears while praying over my health - well that just makes this girl feel incredibly loved and wanted. Oh, and his laugh! I absolutely adore when this man laughs... it's so contagious and genuine and just makes me laugh right along with him...

My Momma

The depth of my mother’s love humbles me. Through every season of life, she’s.been.there! In the season of learning to walk and learning to talk, she was my teacher. In the season of learning to read, she was my audience. In the season of teen-dom, she was my counselor. In the season of change from child to adult, she was my role model. In the season of heart bruises and betrayals, she was my constant hug. In the season of stepping out in faith and taking chances, she was my cheerleader. And in this whole season of my illness, for the past long years, she is my SuperMomma hero. Everything she does for me and all the ways she takes care of me - her love is truly amazing to me. The world would be a far lovelier place if everyone had a mother like mine!

My Sister

This girl I love with a fierce passion. There’s just so much I adore about her! She’s the one I go to when I can’t figure out how to put my thoughts into words. She’s the one who understands me 'cause she speaks Andi-ese. Since my illness has progressed, she willingly spends hours just hanging out with me in whatever way I’m capable of. She’s my fellow dreamer, my book-addiction supplier, my lego-playing comrade.  She’s the keeper of my secrets, my confidant. She’s the holder of many inside jokes. She makes me laugh all the time, whether we’re together or just texting. I can’t count the times I’ve cried from laughing with her so hard. She brings tremendous happiness to my life. She’s willing to give up her down time to take care of me whenever that need arises. And she’s made getting her to say, “I love you too” into a fun challenge. One that, every time I succeed, makes my heart get all warm and cozy from hearing it. She’s my best friend and she’s beyond the greatest sister I ever could’ve asked for.

My Brother

Because of him, I was born already having a best friend. Growing up, he was my favorite toy, my steady companion, my loving protector. I love to look back on our childhood and just remember all the fun we had together. Being a kid was so much fun because I got to be one with him. People used to ask us if we were twins when we were little and I remember, beside the thoughts of thinking people were weird for not knowing the truth, there was also a deep sense of pride in just having people ask that. Because, even as a youngster, I knew it was an honor to be his little sister. Now as an adult, I still have that pride because he’s grown up to be an amazing man, a man after God’s heart. He's absolutely crazy and there's never a dull moment with him around. He's so confident and comfortable being exactly who he is and I love that about him. One of the things I most love about him though is that he's never stopped being my wonderful brother.

My Husband

All my life, my greatest dream was to fall in love and marry a godly man. I wanted to be a wife more than anything else in the world. It’s what I prayed fervently over, what my heart deeply longed for. I dreamed of finding a man who would accept me with all my weirdness and quirks. A man who would laugh with me and dance with me, who’d see beyond what the mere eye can see and instead gaze upon my heart. He’d put forth the effort to get to know me, to find out what makes me smile and what makes me cry. He’d encourage me in my dreams, partnering with me and cheering me on. He’d be my protector, my safe harbor, and my shield against those who’d seek to hurt me. He’d hold me and comfort me when my symptoms would flare up, praying over me and letting me know I’m never in the fight alone. Above all, he would love me. Good days, bad days. Happy days, sad days. Easy days, hard days. He’d choose love every day.

When I was twenty-three I met a man worthy of entrusting my heart to. Now, what I can tell you is this - in all my dreaming and all my wishing, I barely scratched the surface of all the wonderfulness that is JRB. <3

*Photo found on Pinterest

So as we sit around the table during this holiday season, them eating the wonderful food and me enjoying the smell of it all, my heart will continue to lift up thanks to my Father. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. And boy, is my heart abundantly full of gratefulness for I know that I am a woman who’s been richly blessed.

Tell me, Dear One, what is your heart full of thanks for this year? There's always, always something to be thankful for. And I bet once you start naming things, your list will just keep going and going. So enjoy your turkey, mashed taters, and pumpkin pie (or whatever it is you'll be eating.) Relish the time with friends and family during this fun holiday. But, Friends, let's not get so caught up in the Thanksgiving hoopla that we forget to actually be thankful and give thanks to the Giver of all good things.

I'll leave you with this song that my favorite vegetables like to sing (aka -The Veggie Tales.)

Because a thankful heart is a happy heart!

I'm glad for what I have, that's an easy way to start!

For the love that He shares as He listens to my prayers

That's why I say thanks everyday!

*Photo found on Pinterest