Day 11 -- I'm thankful for my church family. I've grown up in that church. They've watched me go through the different phases of my life and they have been so supportive and encouraging. I'm really thankful that my children can grow up in that church, too.
Day 12 -- I'm thankful for music. It speaks to me in a way nothing else does. It's not the lyrics of a song that does it, though I do enjoy the words of most songs. It's the harmony. It's the arrangement. It's the instruments. It's the fullness of the sounds. It's the beat, the rhythm, the phrasing, the complexity. It cheers me up. It calms me down. It helps me cry when I didn't know I needed to. It gives me chills. It helps me concentrate. I am so thankful for music.
Day 13 -- I'm thankful for the church choir. I didn't know I could ever successfully direct or lead anything. The people in that group are so much fun and they are so talented and make a wonderful choir. I think what we present is God-pleasing and most of the time there is a moment in whatever song we're sharing that I'm moved to tears. I've done things I never thought I could do, and several times the group as a whole didn't think we could accomplish a rather daunting idea I had, but we did and we did it pretty well. Working with that group is very uplifting and we have a good time together.
Day 14 -- I'm thankful for our Pastor. He's been with us for about 2 years now, I think, and while I loved our old Pastor, I think the new one has caused some necessary changes and he keeps us all in check. I think he has facilitated a new life of the church and God is going to do great things with him.
Day 15 -- I'm thankful for the interim Pastor who stepped in while the search was going on for the new pastor and I was in the middle of one of the most difficult times of my life. He wasn't around long, but every sermon he presented was something that applied to my life at the time. I even asked my mother if she had talked to him about me because it felt like what he had prepared was specifically for me. God worked wonders through him because when I was at my lowest, his sermons were exactly what I needed to feel convicted and start heading on the right path.
Day 16 -- I'm thankful for financial stability. Hubby and I have both come from relationships that destroyed our credit and it's exciting to know watch things improve and help each other make it even better. It's wonderful not to be stressed about money all the time. We're not monetarily wealthy by any means, but we are comfortable with where we are and for that I am thankful.
Day 17 -- I'm thankful to be able to buy groceries and cook. I'm thankful to give my family healthy meals that they enjoy...most of the time.
Day 18 -- This day of thankful falls on our 1/2 year anniversary. I'm thankful to have a Christ-centered marriage. It's difficult to maintain because I end up going to church alone nearly 100% of the time, but Hubby is open to discuss God's place in our marriage at any time and we hold each other accountable. It's refreshing and encouraging and it makes me love H/him even more.
