30 Days of Thanksgiving – Days 18-22 – 5 Days Worth
If I were to literally write all the moments of thanksgiving I’ve experienced over the past five days, this blog post would turn into a book. I will spare you that and only expound on one blessing for each day. It has been a packed five days that I wouldn’t trade for anything, even the bumps in the road which were in ample supply. Remember, the Spirit teaches and trains us to have hope, even when we least expect it.
DAY 18 – I am grateful for the chilly night (freezing for us South Floridians – *wink*). It was our first evening of the camping trip. The weather was perfect for putting up our tent and having dinner. I knew it would be hard for Calvin, being his first camp out, but I hoped and prayed for the best. The best, as it turned out, was for Calvin to sleep in his pack and play for about an hour; then, it only seemed logical for him to come sleep with us in our bed of sleeping bags to stay comfortably (albeit, safely) warm. This kept me awake for sure and I was already quite exhausted, but it is not very often that I get to watch Calvin sleep, let alone have him snuggle up next to me as he slowly breathes in and out. There was nothing relaxing about it, but watching him sleep placed a joy in my heart that I can’t quite explain. It filled me with this hope: even in the cold of night, warmth can be found, given by God.
DAY 19 – I am grateful for Mark, Naomi, Anna, and space heaters. I hope they neither mind me using their names nor do I even know if they read the blog, but we would not have had such a great end to the camping trip if not for their generosity. Although the night before had “sweet” moments, we were dreading going through another night of Calvin rolling around between us again. It would mean no sleep for me, again… Just at the very last moment, Naomi remembered she had picked up an extra space heater for her sister Anna. Anna casually said she didn’t need it when Naomi asked, but she has no idea how grateful we are for that minor gesture. Calvin slept perfectly once our tent was full of warmth. It was a better night for all. Mark and Naomi thanks for picking up the space heater, and Anna, thanks for your sacrifice of letting us use it. I have this hope: that I will yet see good in the land of the living.
DAY 20 – I am grateful to “come home.” Don’t get me wrong, I love camping – even if it is a very different experience with a one-year-old. But there is always a contentment with the thought of finding yourself home again. The familiarity of the resources you’re used to regularly using, the rooms you know you can relax in the best, the safe-place for your kids, the smells, all these small things that lead to one conclusion: having a home to come to should never be taken for granted. I have this hope: that my heavenly home will be even more familiar and beautiful, for it shall host My Lord!
DAY 21 – I am grateful for Thanksgiving Holiday for my husband. Brad does not have to work this week which means two things – Brad gets to take a breath, and I get to breathe him in a little more each day. Having Brad around all day is like breathing a new kind of fresh air, full of assurance and committal. He is such a helpful, hardworking husband. He recognizes a task needs to get done and he gets right on it, accomplishing it to the best of his ability. He doesn’t bat an eye when I say he needs to watch Calvin while I go to my 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test or ask him to wake up so he can make us a hearty breakfast (remember, he’s definitely the cook in our relationship). Yes, Brad is the air of assurance that I am not alone during this earthly walk and his is the air of commitment to this family; we are his priority. I have this hope: this amazing earthly marriage is only a taste of what being with the Lord will be like when we come together as one family, glorifying all His wonderful deeds!
DAY 22 – I am grateful for a productive day that ends with an enchanting evening. We accomplished so much because Brad was home today. He tackled the yard – mowing and cutting back the palms around the patio. We got the laundry washed, and there was plenty of it. We packed for our next trip. We picked up some lights (like Christmas lights (small and big bulbed)) that Brad had in storage. We brought those home and strung them above the table Brad had hand-made when we first moved into the house back in May. Grandma and Grandpa Majzner came over for burgers on the grill, and we enjoyed a pleasant evening in the cool weather we’ve been having, sitting at that beautiful table. It brought me such hope that many, many more evenings like this are still to come as we make this house even more our home! HAPPY THANKSGIVING, INDEED!
Such great times! Well, it is officially the week of Thanksgiving. I can’t make any gaurantees, but I am hoping to keep up with daily posts. I cannot wait to see what God has in store for all of us as we gather with our families! **That being said, if you don’t have someone to be with this Thanksgiving, come be a part of our family. There is always plenty of food, fun, laughter, and hope to go around!**
The ABC Life 