i've been a little frustrated lately... a little down, a little confused, a little disappointed.

all those 'littles' can really add up. and what i always tell my kids ~ 'kids' being the one child that's actually mine as well as the various youths i've worked with for the past 6 years ~ is that when you pray, you should always start with thanksgiving, because by the end, you might find you have less to ask for than you initially thought. so, this is what i'm thankful for:



- I'm thankful that I have a God who cares about every aspect of my being and my day, even when I go about those days not giving Him the thought He deserves. I'm also thankful that I live in a place where I can express this without fearing for my life.
- I'm thankful I have the most amazing child who surprises me every day with how intricate his little character is. I would rather spend nights like last night: hardly sleeping, sponging him down, waking up every few hours to give him medication, and praying for his fever to break than be a part of any life-scenario in which he isn't present.
- I'm thankful that, even though my heart is constantly broken between two continents, several countries, and many cities, I have people to miss. No matter where I am, I miss someone because I have loved ones everywhere. I'm lucky...
- I'm thankful that I have a crazy family who's always there for me when I need them and that I never need to go through any situation alone.
- I'm thankful that, even though my life has not gone the way I'd hoped or planned it would have by this point, I've had some blessings I couldn't have imagined or expected.
-I'm thankful that even though I don't know where my future is going, I can rest in the knowledge that God wants to get me where I need to go even more than I do, and I will get there. (thanks to Mark Batterson for reminding me of that)
See? Not so bad now. What are you thankful for?