Due to Thanksgiving being today, I want to write a list of 15 things I’ve become more thankful for while being on the race. Gratitude has always been a big thing in my life, and since being in this time of certain sacrifice, I have realized there is so so so much to be thankful for that we often take for granted.
One of my goals these past three months has been to keep a gratitude list of 8 things daily. Most days I got them written down, but some days, life got busy and I forgot. Some things on my lists were small and some were big but all matter the same amount. I went through my lists of the past three months and picked some of the most impactful ones so far. So here’s a small glance into my daily lists of gratitude:
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Patience- I am thankful for receiving patience from others. Many things on the race have been something new to me that I’ve had to learn. The patience people have given me, and still do, during this process is something I am very grateful for.
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Peanut Butter- This made the list because it’s one of my favorites to pair with any snack to make it more filling. By any given moment, I most likely have an open PB jar by my bed with a spoon if I get hungry.
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Humor- Laughing always puts me in a good mood which makes me beyond thankful. When I am in an off mood or missing home, a good joke or something funny always makes me laugh and slowly turns my mood around.
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Pictures- I brought real pictures of all my family and some close friends that I keep in my Bible. I am thankful because the pictures remind me of my biggest supporters back home rooting me on throughout this whole journey.
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Forgiveness and Grace- With all the new adventures, it takes time to figure it all out. Because of this, I am beyond thankful for the forgiveness and grace God, my team, squad, ministry host, and many others have shown me.
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Appreciation- On the race, showing and verbally expressing your appreciation for the people around you is a big value. I am thankful that people are constantly encouraging others and pointing out the positives in everyone’s lives.
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Chicken and Honey- This is a unique one. In month one, we had left over honey from breakfast which was still sitting out. Someone had the idea of pairing it with the chicken for lunch, and it was absolutely delicious! I actually forgot about it until looking back at my lists but still a small thing I am thankful I got to try!
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Modern Day Technology- I am thankful for this because it keeps me connected with my family and supporters back home. I like the big and small updates my family and a few friends send me throughout the week which make me laugh and smile.
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My Squadmates- I’ve been doing day to day life with these people for the past 84 days. They have been with me through all the ups and downs and figuring out this new lifestyle with me. They push me and encourage me. I wouldn’t be able to do this race without them.
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Music- Worship. Country. New. Old. Pop. The list could go on. I am thankful for music because it brings us together making new memories, but it also reminds me of so many fun memories from home. Listening to the right playlist always gets me in the right attitude for the day!
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Growth- Only a third of the way through and the race has already brought so so much growth. Some of the growth I’ve realized and already processed. Some I know has happened but haven’t been able to process. And other growth has happened, and I haven’t even realized it. I am thankful for being surrounded by people willing to push me to grow.
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Restoration- God has been working on restoring a certain relationship that was hindered a little bit back. I am beyond thankful that God is a God of forgiveness and restoration because that makes me want to be the same way. I am thankful I am able to have the mindset to restore a relationship that means so much to me.
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The Ability to Walk- We walk a lot here on the race. It’s such a simple task most people don’t even think about, but some people have lost the ability to walk. Because of this, I am beyond thankful God gave me the ability to walk wherever I may want or need to go.
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Willingness to Explain- A big thing on the race is “seek to understand.” I am thankful this is a value here because it gives us the chance to explain our actions and then grow from there. Being able to explain thoughts, memories, actions, and many other things has been a vitale value on the race in order to stay unified and growing together.
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Marco Polo- This sort of goes with modern day technology, but I thought it needed its own! Marco Polo is an app that is sort of a mix between facetime and snapchat. I am able to send my family and friends videos that don’t disappear and they can watch it live or later when they have time. I get the best videos from my family and my little twin boys’ family (shoutout to the Sheltons!!) that have brought me so much joy! Feel free to send me a Marco Polo right now if ya want!! 🙂
And that’s that! Thank you for reading through my gratitude list. I pray you spend this time telling God all you are thankful for which He has given you and share it with others. Enjoy spending time with family and rejoice in this holiday season!
Comment a few of the things you’ve recently realized you’ve very thankful for below. I’d love to hear what you have to say.
Love you all and Happy Thanksgiving!!
Paige :):)
