I’m Thankful For…

I’m Thankful For…
 
1) My amazing family & awesome parents who celebrate Holidays like it’s goin out of style & taught me to do the same

2) Everyone who’s loved me so much in my life and taught me to ‘love well’
–I’m spreading that love all over the world now!

3) My health
(You reeeaally learn to appreciate your health more when you live a life of constant travel. Travelling sick just plain sucks.)

4) This awesome opportunity to travel the world and show people God’s love in a tangible way this year

5) Thomas the Turkey who gave his life yesterday so we could have a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner

6) For a Thanksgiving I’ll never forget: not only did we get to kill and eat our own turkey, but we got to share this Thanksgiving (and our American family traditions) with Moldovans who’ve never had Thanksgiving dinner before

7) My Corn Casserole I make every year for Thanksgiving – its so good

8) Anya, our host for this month who has opened her home to us

9) Fanel, our translator and my new best friend, who has been our lifeline to Moldovan and Russian culture, language, and life this month -and I know will be a lifelong friend

10) My new sisters on Team Ohana (see their pretty faces on the left of the screen)

11) All my rock star travel-mates on G Squad

12) Team OIL that I got to serve with the first 3 months of the Race – miss you girls!

13) The fabulous blessing God has given me in that I now have FAMILY all over the world
(I’ll be honest with you, I’ve traveled a LOT in my brief time on this earth and I make friends wherever I go. But THIS kind of travel is different. You live with people, the way they live. And you learn to love them in a way you never thought possible. They become FAMILY. It’s almost strange!)

14) My new family at Zions Gates Ministries in Tegucigalpa, Honduras who hosted us Month 1

15) My new family at Joyful Homes Orphanage in Chimaltenango, Guatemala that hosted us Month 2

16) My new family at Casa Mateo and the families in Jinotepe, Nicaragua who hosted us Month 3

17) My new family at Living Hope Church in Pitesti, Romania who hosted us Month 4

18) My new family at Savior Christ Church in Grigoriopol, Transnistria, Moldova that hosted us this month –Month 5

19) The warm clothes I was able to find at second hand stores in Romania- otherwise I’d have been freezing this month!

20) That I’m going to Thailand in a week (I’ve always wanted to go to Thailand! It’s been the country I’ve most looked forward to on the Race. And now, that it’s been soooo freakin cold all month, I’m lookin forward to it even more!)

21) That I still have 6 more months left on the World Race

22) That I’ve survived these first 5 months on the World Race

23) Beds, heat, and a washing machine this month

24) My bed at home- that although I cannot sleep in it tonight, I know is waiting for me. And it’s SO comfy.

25) Growing up in the USA

26) That my grandma and grandpa (and Mom) taught me to speak Spanish when I was little

27) My beautiful “storybook” childhood

28) My education

29) The great Christian school I went to growing up –Wellington Christian School

30) The teachers and mentors that poured into me and believed in me

31) The fact that I switched schools junior year of high school and learned that I actually love to start from scratch in new places and create a full life from nothing (this is helpful on the WR!)

32) The FLORIDA GATORS

33) The fact that I went to UF during not 1, not 2, but 3 National Championships 🙂

34) The opportunity to study abroad and see the world at a young age

35) Growing up in a ‘Christian home’ with parents who taught me about Jesus

36) Coming to the realization 2 years ago that there’s a difference between having your faith be a ‘big part of your life’ and having your faith be ‘the central focus of your life’
–THIS, my friends, is a pivotal revelation that makes ALL the difference

37) The whisper, the hunger, the calling to something MORE in this life
(Thank you, God for not letting me settle for anything less that what you have for me. Ugh! I hate that word- “settle.” It’s like fingernails on a chalkboard. Don’t do it!)

38) God’s presence in my life

39) Hearing God’s voice

40) Seeing crazy Holy Spirit stuff

41) For all the crazy people who encouraged me to go on this 11 month adventure

42) Pizza
(Specifically thin crust pizza. My favorites are Hawaiian and arugula/prosciutto)

43) Beer 
(Yes- missionaries like beer, too. My favorites are IPA’s –which are disappointingly hard to find around the world, but I appreciate any local craft beer with a lot of flavor. Can’t stand those watered down silly lite beers we drink altogether too often in the US of A)

44) Skype
Just got passed around my family’s Thanksgiving Dinner table like a side dish and it was fantastic. Who says you can’t be in 2 places at once? With wifi, you can.

45) Humor.
Ya gotta surround yourself with people who have a good sense of humor. Especially on the World Race.

46) My MacBook Air – it’s the best.

47) For the fact that I decided 20 items ago to make this a ’50 Things I’m Thankful For’ instead of ‘100 Things I’m Thankful For’ …Bahahaha! (I bet you’re thankful, too!)

48) For the joy and enthusiasm and zest for life that God’s blessed me with

49) For my adventurous spirit coupled with my hunger for God that I know is gonna turn into some epic stories

50) For the awesome calling I know God has on my life…even though I’m not certain of exactly what that is yet. And for the fact that I’m OK with not having it all figured out. All in God’s timing.(I’m learning to be patient 😉
 

And…BONUS item:   I'm thankful for YOU reading this blog!