Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

I hope you have a wonderful day full of love, laughter, food, and fellowship.

I am thankful for my family. I truly couldn't have picked a more supportive and loving family if I tried. They are so loving and have always supported me in life.  For instance, my mom and dad allowed me to pick up and move 1000 miles away to North Carolina after my second year of college.  They supported me to pursue my dreams and move to Georgia and back in one summer! I also have the best in-laws ever. They treat me like their own daughter, and for that, I couldn't be more grateful. Sometimes I hear horror stories about "crazy in-laws" and mine are FAR from that.  :)

I am thankful for my friends. They are truly some of the best people in the world and we have such great times together.

But most importantly, I am thankful for my savior, Jesus Christ. Without him I can do nothing, and with him I can do all things. If I didn't have him as my savior, I would be a lost soul in this dying world. His love and grace and mercy flows abundantly and I will never be deserving of that. I love you, Jesus.  Thank you for giving up your life, so that I may live.


Lastly, I want to share with you a story about Seth's grandpa.  He passed away the day after Christmas last year and for some reason, today I have been thinking of him a lot.  He was one of the most genuine, sweet, gentle, wisdom-filled man. He was the first to know about Seth's decision to ask my hand in marriage, and he gave Seth my engagement ring (it was made in 1927 from Germany and was a gift to his wife who passed away 4 years ago).  Seth would go eat dinner with Pa and they would have the same thing every single week:  BLT sandwiches on toasted white bread, jumbo boiled shrimp served cold with cocktail sauce mixed with Texas Pete, and Lays Original potato chips. Everytime we would go visit when I was in town, he would give me a big ol' hug and always laugh at my stories even if they weren't funny. Every thanksgiving, we would eat Thanksgiving lunch with him and this is the prayer we would pray:

"For food, for raiment, for life, for opportunity, for friendship and fellowship, we thank thee, O Lord."

Every meal we ate with Pa (and a lot of meals we didn't eat with Pa) we said that prayer. It makes me so thankful for the time we had together and I know he is in heaven eating the best thanksgiving dinner with Jesus and his bride, Ma.

This thanksgiving, take some time to remember great memories with loved ones who have passed away and be ever so thankful for the ones you do have.