Thanksgiving....

Today has been an amazing day! A day full of "Happy Thanksgiving" greetings from friends near and far. I often wonder what Thanksgiving means to others. For me I don't have any specific memories of Thanksgiving or any family traditions that came along with Thanksgiving. I remember as a child always having turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and deviled eggs. I remember sitting down with my mom, dad and two brothers and eating together. I don't have vivid memories of sharing this day with family and friends at our home.

As I moved into adulthood I have very little memories of Thanksgiving. What I do remember is it was the transition from fall, pumpkins and the horn of plenty to snow, snowmen and santa. I began understand that the Christmas tree went up the day after Thanksgiving. A difficult task when you have to shop the sales on this day as well.

After I married Thanksgiving took on a different meaning. It now occurred in October. It is difficult to put up the Christmas tree on the 13th of October:)

Although my family has no real traditions (except putting the tree up the day after Thanksgiving, or at least the Saturday after Thanksgiving because we don't have Friday off) Thanksgiving took on a new meaning for me this year.

For Thanksgiving in October I was able to spend it with my dear friends family. It was so warm and welcoming and the children played video taped each other. After taping they would bound up the stairs in excitement and ask us to view what they had recorded. The laughter would come and off they would go to once again capture their excitement.

The adults enjoyed company and conversation, memories and laughter. It was relaxing and felt so comfortable. Our hearts were warm and happy and we were wrapped in love.

This November Thanksgiving was a day of blessings. The Lord wrapped himself around me and reminded me how much He loves me and showed me how real He is and how True His promises are. I had an interview at Woods Homes (a children's mental health treatment center) for my practicum placement. I have been praying about this for a while. He faithfully answered my prayers.

I had an amazing conversation with a friend and sister in Christ about sharing my friend Jodi's Bible study she wrote titled Believe Truth

Believe Truth
so you may
*Be Who You Really Are
*Be Real
*Savor Life here and now

http://jodeneshaw.blogspot.com/p/new-e-course-information.html

I was also able to share with this friend the amazing work God is doing in and through me and was able to hear the amazing work God is doing in and through her. It was fantastic to brainstorm together how we can share the One we are most Thankful for our Savior Jesus Christ.

The events leading up to this day also solidified in my heart what Thanksgiving would now mean to me. I was able to spend time with friends and family in South Dakota. I met new friends and was blessed with an amazing connection and surrounded by loving women. I was able to pray for women who needed to meet with Jesus...AND I was able to see Beth Moore live.

She brought the Spirit of God with her to Rapid City and lives were changed. That I am thankful for!!!

**It means rejoicing everyday in the majesty of His work in my life and the life of those around me.

**It means celebrating His work in and through me.

**It means giving thanks for the people he places in my life to share with and ones who walk with me in order to know Him more fully.

**It means knowing that I am fearfully and wonderfully made in His image and He picked me. YEP!!!...Me....broken and flawed.....He picked me!!!

**I am thankful that He leads me through the doors He opens and that NO ONE can shut!

**I am MOST thankful that He is the same today tomorrow and yesterday and that the TRUTH was written before the beginning and is consistent through time.

Thank You to all of you who walk beside me on this journey because it is the biggest adventure ever and I can not imagine being on the adventure full of abundance with out you!!!

Talk to me and let me know what thanksgiving means to you!