Posted in: Celebration, Growth 11.09.17 ( Jennifer Elrod ) 5 Reasons To Be Thankful November is the month of thankfulness as we approach Thanksgiving. If you have a social media account, you’ve seen individuals’ daily “Seven Days of Thankfulness” posts. As I reflect on this year and draw nearer to loved ones after yet another massacre on Sunday, I am drawn to really look at things that I am thankful for in my life.I am so thankful for strong community and fellowship through church. Almost two weeks ago, I had major surgery on my foot, which has left me bedridden. I have had small group members take me to doctor’s visits, bring me meals, pray over me, and check on me throughout the past two weeks. It is beautiful to feel so loved by a group of believers.I am thankful for family. This might be an obvious one, but my family is full of chaos and we’ve had our fair share of issues. We are definitely not perfect and I don’t expect us to be, which is something I learned many years ago. Yet, I am thankful that, despite the dysfunction and the arguments, there is still love and laughter. I get my humor and my generous heart of hospitality from my parents. At the end of the day, they want the best for me.I am thankful for running water and electricity. Several years ago, I lived in Haiti and there was a period of at least three weeks with no electricity 95% of the time, and running water for about an hour per day, if we were lucky. As I think back to those sweet memories of my twenties, I am thankful for something as simple as water and electricity.I am thankful for nature. I feel God’s presence most in nature and I reflect on His creation being in the midst of it. There is something so soothing to the soul as you hear waves crash against the beach and watch fading colors of sunsets. Each sunset is a beautiful painting. There is also something beautiful about standing among trees in the forest over three to four times your size and height, feeling the cool wind blow and the warmth of the sun on your cheeks. It’s those moments amidst His creation that make you feel really thankful.I am thankful for Chip and Joanna Gaines. You might laugh, or ask who they are, or be saying “YAS!” I think that they are such great Christian role models, especially as current “celebrities.” Reruns of “Fixer Upper” have made bedrest so easy, and I think I want to be an interior decorator now. Can you say shiplap, barn doors, pergola, and galvanized metal? If you went to Target last Sunday, then you saw the crowds and lovely displays of the Gaines’ newest line. I am also excited because I have a girls’ trip planned with some of my best friends in March to go see the Silos in person. Of course, that also makes me thankful for my job and PTO.As you spend time in reflection while Thanksgiving approaches, I pray that you find things to be thankful for. As you think of someone, text them and say hello or tell them why you’re thankful for them. Spread the joy and thankfulness. Praise God for all the things, good or difficult, that are currently happening in your life.“Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.” -Psalm 100:4 SHARE Enjoy the post?Why not share with your friends. This blog post has been posted in: Celebration, Growth SHARE YOUR STORY We love to hear how God is working in your life. Click on the link below to share your story! Share Your Story About the Author Jennifer has been a part of the ONE&ALL Community for over ten years. She has a Master of Arts in Management and currently works as a tax consultant. In her free time, she loves reading Colleen Hoover books, teaching about food justice & racial reconciliation, drinking really good coffee, writing Yelp reviews, and traveling. She loves to laugh, has a huge heart for serving others, and is obsessed with reality television.
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