The Miracle of Christmas

At first glance, you may be likely to assume this is going to be a typical Christmas post, about family, traditions, nostalgia, and sweet Baby Jesus. While those are the things that make Christmas, well, Christmas, I hope this will be more than just a feel-good sentimental summation of everyone's favorite holiday. 

If you're like me, it is extremely easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle, get-togethers, and traditional activities that Christmas brings. It's that time of year again and your main focus is getting your tree up and decorated, wrapping presents for your loved ones, caroling and playing your favorite holiday tunes, baking cookies, visiting family, and preparing food for the next Christmas gathering. 

For me, it's easy to go through the Christmas Cycle—sing all the right songs, buy everyone the perfect present, talk about the Christ Child, and pray for snow. 

But if I just take the time to think, really think... Christmas is more than just an annual cause for gifts and family time. Christmas is a miracle, a celebration.

In a way, I think the Christmas story sometimes gets viewed as a fairy tale, one of those stories we've heard countless times, so often that we skip and skim over the details, reciting from memory the events that make up the story. It's so familiar that we take for granted the little sparkling details of wonder and the miracles that light up the story of our Savior's humble birth. It has instead turned into the test of patience we must endure to get to the red and green clad boxes beneath the tree on Christmas morning.

In honor of Jesus' birth, I'd like to take the time to ponder the details of that long-ago Christmas, the beginning of the wonderful plan of a loving Savior coming to earth in human flesh to save all of mankind. 

First, there's Mary. Oh, to put myself in her shoes. A young, teenage girl. Engaged to be married, she finds out she's pregnant. An angel reveals to her that, yes indeed, the Holy Spirit has graced her with the miraculous gift of carrying the Savior of the world inside of her, which seems impossible to human logic, since in no way could a virgin possibly be with child. I can't imagine the mixed feelings flowing through this young woman. I can't imagine trying to convince my fiancé that I am pregnant with "God's child." Or my parents. I feel like it would be tough getting them to buy that one. At least Joseph got a visit from an angel for some proof. I imagine life would have suddenly become difficult, preparing to take on the role of a mother while feeling vulnerable and looked down upon, despite having done no wrong. Oh what a faith booster this experience had to have been for Mary.

Then, Joseph. What loyalty, faith, and courage this young man displayed, choosing to stick by the side of his future bride, when it would most likely cost him everything he had. His reliance on God, and obedience, is amazing. Another piece of the story.

The Shepherds. The fact that a huge multitude of heavenly beings lit up the night sky in a field in the middle of nowhere, proclaiming to a bunch of lowly shepherds that a Savior was being born, is just mind-boggling. I mean, of all the people to choose from, God chose to send the angels to the shepherds. There would have been plenty of people in town; after all, there was a census taking place. But I'm guessing it wouldn't have mattered that much to the others, who would've been preoccupied with the hustle and bustle of their own lives. So God went to the common, simple shepherds, who immediately responded with joy and determination to find the newborn king. 

The Wise Men. Talk about persistence. It's pretty incredible that these wise guys traveled many miles to finally meet the Christ Child, presenting Him with the very best gifts they had to offer. The miraculous guiding light of the star over Bethlehem adds to the wonder of the story of that first Christmas. 

The Scene. It's funny how God works. What makes sense to us in our small, finite minds, what seems most logical, is often the exact opposite of what God sees fit for us. In the same way, His plan for the birth of the King is a lot different than the grand entrance I would have dreamed up. Thinking about the King of kings entering the world, I would have chosen a significant, majestic procession, a splendid announcement, a magnificent ceremony. But God had other plans, and rightly so. Jesus Christ came as a humble servant, not to be served, but to love others and draw them to Him. What better way to display his meekness than a quiet birth in a dirty, smelly stable. Oh the irony of delicately wrapping the newborn Savior of the world in strips of cloth, and placing him in a used feeding trough. 

God uses the little things to show His great love for us. Praise God for being a God of humility, power, and love, Who displays his love for us through service and sacrifice, not requiring anything of us that He hasn't already been through or done. Praise God for this celebratory season, this holiday of remembrance of His great love for us in coming to earth that quiet, holy night. Merry Christmas!

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." 

-Philippians 2:5-8

~MM

A Lesson in People-Pleasing

I had a mini revelation last night.

Well, maybe a bigger one than I thought. 

I was talking on the phone with my boyfriend when he pointed out that every single question he'd asked in the course of a few minutes had resulted in a non-committed answer from me. I'd given him a handful of I dunnos, some ehh, I have no ideas, and didn't seem very certain about anything.

As I thought about it for a second, I told him, "You know what? I've realized lately that I don't have much of an opinion on anything and that kinda frustrates me. I just don't really have any black and white opinions on anything."

He paused, then proceeded to give me some valuable insight. "I think you are afraid to have a black or white opinion on things because you're a people pleaser and you're afraid to disappoint or offend others."

He nailed it on the head.

A few months ago he'd told me something similar... I am a people pleaser. I strive to please everyone, and in the process I often wear myself out because I'm too afraid of disappointing others or letting someone down.

The same thing applies to personal opinions. In debating a topic, or having a discussion about two sides of a matter, I often find myself weighing the sides, picking and choosing ideas from both stances that I agree with. While there may be pros and cons to both sides of a matter, I finally discovered that often times I refrain from developing a solid opinion in order to prevent conflict; this revelation didn't sit well with me. 

I think I've subconciously known this about myself for some time, but never really took the time to realize how true it is, and that it's not exactly a good thing. I am afraid of disappointing others, letting them down, and having them dislike me. I have fallen into the trap of constantly trying to please others. And as a result I don't speak my mind very often in fear of hurting or upsetting others who may have different opinions than me.

But I need to get over my fear of disappointing people.

"You're not gonna please everybody, that's just the way it is," Noah told me. "You're gonna have opinions that are totally different from others. But you just gotta get past that. If they can't get past it, they're not worth spending your time with and investing time in."

I am always going to disagree about certain things with other people; that's just the way it is. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, if I stand firm in what I believe and respect others for their opinion. But most importantly, I need to let go of my fears of others' perceptions of me and not let other people's opinions affect who I am and what I believe.

And I don't feel like I have a problem with giving in to peer pressure or getting easily swayed by other people; I merely think I place to high a value on gaining people's approval, and I too often fear what other people think of me. When in the big picture, their opinions of me are irrelevant, because the only thing that really matters is how God sees me, which is through eyes of unending love and grace. He's the One I should seek to please, and the only One that brings the purest joy through pleasing.

"I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." —Revelation 3:16

For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. 
—Galatians 1:10

But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. 
—2 Thessalonians 2:4

~MM

A Thankful Heart

At last... we have come upon Thanksgiving! I have literally been counting down the weeks and days until my favorite holiday for at least a month. Finally we're here, and tomorrow is the big day. I absolutely love Thanksgiving. Not only is there a lot of food and relaxation all day, I love that it is a relationship-centered holiday. It brings families home together and reminds everyone of how blessed they are. It's a holiday that is focused on the people you love, not on material things. I have always loved family gatherings since I was young... Perhaps that's why I love Thanksgiving so much! 

Naturally, tomorrow being Thanksgiving caused me to take a look at my own life, and count my blessings, recalling the many people and aspects of my life that cause me much joy and thankfulness. I decided to sum up these blessings in a list of things I am thankful for. So, without further ado, my list of thankfulness...

1) I am thankful for my immediate family, that they love me and love Jesus, and that they know how to be such goobers. I am thankful that my parents raised me to love God and love others, that they taught me how to love and treat your spouse well, and what qualities to look for in a future husband. I am thankful for a brother who I get along with well, who can make me laugh, who is fun to hang out with, for his many talents, caring heart, amazing voice, and all the silly things we've done together. I am thankful for a family that is crazy, awesome, and for all the memories we've made, our many road trips and adventures, life lessons learned, mission trips we've gone on, and traditions we've started. 

2) I am thankful for my extended family, that they also love Jesus, that they value family time with everyone together, and that they stay connected, even though many miles separate some of us. I am thankful for many family trips, get-togethers, memories, stories, laughter, jokes, and the family bond that cannot be broken.

3) I am thankful for Noah, my loving boyfriend, who strives to be more and more like Jesus everyday, who is a great example and role model for me, who knows how to make me laugh and smile more than anyone else, who lets me be a goober and willingly goobs it up with me, and who is so patient, sweet, encouraging, and is a prayer warrior. I am thankful for his heart for others, his integrity and genuine character, respect, sense of humor, and for being my silly partner in crime.

4) I am thankful for some of the best friends a girl could ask for... 

For Ashley, my thankful partner, the girl who knows me so incredibly well and shares so many laughs, memories, jokes, and irrational love for turtles with me, whose love for Jesus is encouraging, and who is such a blessing to me.

For Kayla, who's practically been my big sister all my life, for her advice, girl talks, honesty, encouragement, leadership, love for Jesus, and for always being there for me.

For Lindsey, who is always there to talk to, who has a passion for Jesus, for the many memories we've made, good talks, countless laughs, mini road trips, vacations, and for always being there to zip my zipper when I have wet nails. 

For Diane, my Haitian, for her love for her Savior and for sweet little kiddos, her leadership and influence, her heart for others, strength, courage, perseverance, her outgoing personality, the many laughs, good talks, advice, and memories we've shared. 

And also, for countless other friends that have influenced me and added excitement to my life :)

5) I am thankful for my church family, for the leadership in our church, and for the opportunity to get involved and serve others. I am thankful for the worship team, my youth group, my small group, and everyone I've gotten to know that I otherwise may have never met or gotten to know. I am thankful for the way everyone genuinely loves and cares for one another, enjoys spending time together, and the spiritual growth that we've experienced over the past few years.

6) I am thankful for my boyfriend's family, for the blessing they are to me, their relationships with God and with each other, and the way it's so obvious how much they love each other. I am thankful for the way they make me feel at home with them, I am free to be myself around them, for their wonderful senses of humor, and the many laughs we always have when we are together.

7) I am thankful for my Kentucky kiddos. I am so thankful for the opportunity to go back each summer and keep building on the relationships we've made and get to know these kids better. They are such a blessing to me and I love them dearly. 

8) I am thankful for the location and time period God has placed me in. I am thankful for our small, close-knit community, for the beautiful views from my house, and for the opportunity to experience all four seasons.

9) I am thankful for many little things in life that I so often forget about and take for granted...

Electricity

Good neighbors

A working brain

A warm home

A school district and community that accepts Christianity

Living within a close distance to many places

Living in the country

Music

The ability to remember, to think, to imagine

Technology

Fleece blankets and fluffy pillows

Parents who love each other

Good teachers that are easy to get along with

Life lessons

Role models

Laughter

Vehicles and the ability to drive

The freedom to worship and read my Bible whenever I want

Living in America

Being born into a God-loving family

Having a great relationship with and growing up knowing all of my grandparents

Close extended families

Face Time 

Journals

Falling snowflakes

Beautiful sunsets

Acquaintances that I don't know super well, yet we still greet each other

Personal growth

Clean, running water

Nice roads to drive on

Back roads

My senior class

Getting to know people better

Adventures

Diversity

And so much more.

10) Lastly, but certainly not least of all, I am thankful for my loving Savior, Who has blessed me beyond anything I could have ever imagined. I am thankful beyond words for his unending love, compassion, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, indescribable joy and peace, patience with me, for the way He always works everything out, connects the dots, works miracles, and is always with me. 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above... James 1:17

Have a blessed Thanksgiving, enjoy the food and the gatherings, and be sure to tell the ones you love that you're thankful for them :)

~MM

Worth the Wait

Sometimes God uses the little things to teach big lessons. 

Last night my boyfriend and I went to a neat little Italian pizza house for dinner. We'd never been there before, but we had heard a lot of good things about it and decided to try it. We got there, and as we entered the rustic old building, we were puzzled by the confusing and chaotic order of business taking place inside. There were people making pizzas behind a counter right inside the door, the place was packed with people (who all seemed to be waiting in some sort of unorganized line), and we could see a room of tables and booths in the back of the building. It didn't make sense.

Noah and I looked at each other and just kind of laughed.

"What are we supposed to do?" we asked each other. 

Thankfully we saw some acquaintances waiting nearby, so we asked them and got the rundown of how the place worked. We put in our name, and began to wait. After twenty or so minutes of waiting, we got seated at a booth near the back of the restaurant. We took a little time deciding what we were hungry for; the menu informed us that their pizzas were made fresh, and because of that, "they take extra time to make, but they are definitely worth the wait." We were in no hurry and decided on pizza, since that's what the restaurant was known for. We didn't really know what we were getting ourselves into.

We waited a while for our waitress to come back and take our order, and then we sat back and began waiting for our dinner. The time continued to pass, and we talked and laughed and enjoyed ourselves. One of my favorite things about my time with Noah is just being ourselves, talking, laughing, and being silly together. We definitely had plenty of time to talk and laugh. After waiting for probably fifteen minutes, our waitress brought us some bread. We ate it and continued talking and patiently waiting. After another twenty minutes or so our waitress brought our plates, and we started getting even more eager to delve in to this pizza we'd been long awaiting. If you haven't caught on yet, we spent quite a bit of our time last night simply waiting.

We joked about the possibility of them bringing out the plates halfway through the pizza making process to make people think their pizza was almost ready. I think that might have actually been the case (haha). We kept waiting, and began to realize just how hungry we were. We started getting a little restless and slightly impatient, and Noah apologized, saying he didn't realize how long it was going to be when he suggested the restaurant. I assured him it was no big deal, and that I was enjoying our time together talking and laughing. 

"At least this is a memory," I told him, and we laughed.

Meanwhile, another couple we know came in, sat down, ordered something other than pizza, got their meals, ate it, and left... And we still hadn't gotten our food.

We kept eyeing the front of the restaurant where the pizza was made, hoping ours would soon be brought around the corner. Finally, after at least an hour of waiting patiently, telling stories, laughing hysterically, playing twenty questions, singing, and talking about food, our pizza came. We looked upon the sizzling, cheesy, sausage and pepperoni pizza that sat before our watering mouths and exchanged a happy glance. Needless to say, we were excited for this food. 

After our first bites, we just looked at each other and grinned. It was delicious.

Noah chuckled and shook his head. "I think this pizza definitely was worth the wait."

I know it's a silly story, but it taught me a truth about patience. Personally, I don't like to wait. I would rather have what I want the moment I want it. But most of the time, that's not what's best for me. And in the end, I'd rather have what's best for me, no matter how frustrating or inconvenient the wait it.

Going with the pizza analogy, if, after thirty minutes of waiting, we had pulled our waitress aside and demanded our pizza right then and there, it would have been gross--half baked, cold, the cheese wouldn't have been perfectly melted, and the crust wouldn't have been baked just right. We would have been disappointed and left hungry and wanting more. 

In life, sometimes I find myself wishing I didn't have to wait for the future or answers or for God to show me what's next. Sometimes I get ahead of Him and wish I could rush forward, quite blindly, and have everything I want. I don't want to wait, I want the future to come now, and I get jealous of others who have what I want or are where I want to be. But demanding to have things my way without being patient would be like getting a half-baked pizza and expecting it to be the best I've ever had. No half-baked pizza could ever come close to the deliciousness of a fresh, fully prepared, complete, sizzling hot pizza. Likewise, nothing I think I can do or figure out or rush ahead and do in my own way, in my own strength, without being patient and waiting on God and His perfect timing, could ever compare with all the wonderful rewards of waiting on Him. And that's enough for me to want to be patient, to wait for the best, to endure the long wait for the best pizza I could ever imagine.

It was worth the wait with this guy :)

"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; 

wait for the LORD!" Psalm 27:14

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

~MM

O Christmas Tree

I'll be honest. Today was not my day. It started out great... Prayer Meeting was amazing, and I didn't even have any homework. But as calculus rolled around eighth period, I wasn't really following the lesson (what's new there?), and I began thinking about all I had to do... A stress headache formed quite quickly. 

After school I was home for maybe five minutes before running out the door for a haircut appointment. Once in the car, I spilled everything out to my mom, listing everything I have going on and my long to do list...

First, there's the youth small group fundraiser, so as our team leader, I am constantly trying to communicate ideas and information between my youth sponsors, my team, and Justin Masterson's wife (which is another awesome story in itself). Then there's all the food I have to make this weekend for upcoming fundraisers. I have to be at school early tomorrow for a meeting on our Veteran's Day assembly next week, which I'm also in charge of orchestrating with several others. Our government class won the mock election, so we're in charge of fulfilling all our promises, and we're providing a date night for teachers and staff next week, which means more planning, and, most likely, more food. I have to co-write an informational history page for a local business' website sometime this week. I finally scheduled my job shadow date for next week. On top of all that, I have little to no idea what I'm doing when it comes to calculus. 

Needless to say, I'm feeling slightly overwhelmed. 

My head hurt, I was beyond stressed just thinking about all I had to do, and it was raining. All I wanted was a hot shower, a massage, and my bed. 

The last thing I wanted to do was make a thirty minute drive to a warehouse in the middle of nowhere and spend my night setting up Christmas trees. Tonight was our monthly small group night, and for weeks we'd planned on helping a local thrift store assemble Christmas trees to make sure all the pieces were there and the lights worked. 

On a rainy, dreary evening like tonight, I admit, I was reluctant about going. I complained (which I noticed I've been doing a lot lately; I feel like I need to re-implement the "What's good about this situation?" strategy in my life) to my mom about how I just really didn't wanna go, and she told me to try to make the most of it. 

After running a few errands, picking up some groceries, and eating a quick supper in the car, we rushed home, filled my car with youth groupies, and rushed to meet the rest of my group. On the way out to the warehouse where we were going to be working, I commented on my day, complaining about something or other. I caught myself, and apologized for my poor attitude.

I said a silent prayer for a changed attitude, and decided to try to enjoy my evening.

We arrived at the warehouse, walked inside, and when the lead volunteer from the thrift shop gave us a tour, I froze when we got to the Christmas room. There were trees everywhere. We're going to assemble all these trees? Oh boy...

We got started, and as we worked in pairs to put the trees together, my attitude shifted, and I began enjoying myself. My tree-assembling partner and I laughed and joked when we opened our tree box to find it wrapped in hundreds of silvery strands of tinsel. As a group, we managed to set up 12-15 trees, and I soon realized they didn't expect us to finish all of them, which was a relief. But as we did it, I continued to realize how much I was enjoying myself when I chose to make the most of the task at hand and realize we were helping these people. We laughed, we had fun, and afterward we snacked on some of the most amazing soft pretzels I've ever eaten in my life. If I hadn't gone tonight, one, I would have missed out on an awesome night, and two, I would have most likely sat at home dreading all I have to do in the next few weeks. 

I'm thankful for the incredible people in my life who encourage and pray for me when I am stressed, who listen and let me vent, and who help me remember that "it'll all get done." And I'm thankful for a God who doesn't tune me out when I complain, but reminds me to cast my cares on Him instead, because He cares for me, and that I can get it all done with His strength, not my own. 

Our small group modeling one of the Christmas trees we put together.

Trick or Treat?

"Hi! We're from the youth group at the church at the top of the hill, and this year, instead of going trick or treating, we decided to go reverse trick or treating. So we're bringing you candy!"

That's how we greeted the people of our town as we walked around the little village the night before Halloween, knocking on doors, dressed as various characters and carrying bags of candy. I was blessed by the responses we got. 

Many were grateful and seemed impressed by what we were doing. After giving away as much candy as kids could cram into their hands, we asked "we're also taking prayer requests... Is there anything you'd like us to pray for?"

Responses varied. Some nodded, willingly opening up and sharing a request for a sick friend, a pregnant wife, or just prayer in general. Others responded with "no thanks, I'm good."

But the response we got at one house stood out to me. We'd walked up to the porch and I'd knocked on the door. We could tell young kids lived here because of the stroller and kids toys sitting out in front of the house. A man in little shorts and a tank top came to the door and opened it just a crack. I saw a few young children running around in the background, and (ignoring the fact that he wasn't wearing much clothing) I gave him the shpeel. 

"Hi! We're from the youth group at the church at the top of the hill, and this year, instead of going trick or treating, we decided to go reverse trick or treating. So we're bringing you candy!"

"Hold on a second," he paused, shutting the door for a moment. I turned to the rest of the group behind me and shrugged. Assuming he went back inside to change, I silently mouthed, he's barely wearing any clothes! Several youth groupies giggled and I turned back toward the front door. The man opened the door again, and, much to my surprise, was still wearing short little shorts and a tank top. Oh, well, I thought. This is no time to judge. I continued explaining what we were doing, and he seemed interested. He called for his young children (who were super duper cute), and they came and gladly reached into our abundant candy bags, picking out some sugary treats.

The father asked us a little more about what we were all about. We told him why we were doing what we were doing. 

"That's really cool," he said. "You know, so many people in churches nowadays seem to be so against everything about Halloween, but I think any opportunity to get people out in the community like this, where they can interact with each other, is great. I feel like God can use anything, even something like Halloween, for good and to bring people together."

We talked another minute or so with him, and got the chance to pray with him, which was awesome. But even after we left, something he said stuck with me. 

God can use anything for good.

I feel like many times, we forget how true this is. We get so caught up in the appearance of everything, that we don't see how it could possibly be an opportunity. Halloween. That's evil, right? When blood and gore and spooky costumes and evil things are the focus, not God. Definitely not God. Right? But He's still there, even in the midst of the candy, the costumes, and the creepiness.

He was there with the man in short shorts and a tank top on a chilly Halloween Eve, reminding me one, not to judge people by their appearances, and two, to pay attention, to look for the opportunities in all circumstances.

No matter the situation, instead of automatically deeming it entirely pointless, I think it's time we look for the opportunities set before us, right under our noses, and to remember that God can use anything, even a "dark holiday", for good.

-MM

Our group of reverse trick-or-treaters :)

Eucharisteo: An Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is such a beautiful thing. I don’t just mean my favorite holiday of the year, where families gather and devour heaping piles of food, watch football, and sleep all evening. I love Thanksgiving, and I’m sure I’ll take the time to elaborate on all I’m thankful for and the amazing people in my life and traditions and food soon enough (we’re almost there, it’s officially less than one month away!!). But for now I want to think about another kind of thanksgiving that’s more of a daily habit than a yearly celebration.

Over the past year, I’ve been learning just how important it is to have a spirit of thanksgiving. Not just occasional thoughts of gratitude, but a daily practice that brings constant joy through counting blessings, even in the small things--the everyday, the normal, the mundane.

It all began when I was given Ann Voskamp’s book One Thousand Gifts last Christmas. Voskamp wrote about her desire for fullness of joy, and how she realized the way to obtain this joy was through eucharisteo, the Greek word for thanksgiving, holding the root words of grace and joy. She began keeping track of daily eucharisteo blessings, even gifts one wouldn’t normally think twice about saying thanks for. She suggested writing down these gifts, which is what they are; yet so often they get overlooked.

She shared examples from her list of one thousand gifts:

Morning shadows across the old floors.

Jam piled high on toast.

Cry of blue jay from high in the spruce.

Leafy life scent of the florist shop.

Mismatched socks.

Dusty shelves.

Lost library book.

As I was reading, I was inspired to accept the “dare to live fully right where you are.” The book challenged me to find joy in the simple things, to count graces and joys and blessings. I downloaded the One Thousand Gifts app (which is really neat, helpful, easy to use, and free in the iTunes store), and began to keep track of my own daily gifts…

Freshly painted nails.

Laughter with the family.

Face Time conversations.

Verses that come at just the right moment.

The early signs of spring.

Writing letters.

Thin, colored Sharpie markers.

Birds chirping and voices echoing in crisp, early spring air.

Finishing ice cream straight from the tub.

Sacrifice.

The pure joy that comes from encouraging others.

Hearing a softball hitting the mitt and echoing in the gym.

Being blown away and surprised by the people I love.

Cuddling with the red fuzzy blanket.

Tickle fights.

Big, unexpected snow flakes, and snow in the hair.

I realized how easy it really was to find joy in the small things, and that the small things usually hold much more value than we often notice. As time progressed, I continued recording my blessings over the next couple of months; then along came summer and I got busy and began to forget about the app and added to my gift list less frequently.

Fast forward to July, and I was headed to Louisville, KY with my youth group to spend a week at the YWAM (Youth With a Mission) base located there. It was incredible, probably one of the most amazing weeks of my life. We spent a lot of time in the suburbs of the city, putting on parties, Bible schools, and cookouts in the local parks. Getting to know the kids was such a great experience, and saying goodbye at the end of the week was tough.

But one thing really stood out to me and stuck with me ever since the trip. Each morning, we made the twenty minute drive from the YWAM base into Louisville. And each morning, our van load of eight of us, often tired, weary, or still half-asleep, would say what we were thankful for, one by one.

It started one of the first mornings as we journeyed into the city. We had the radio on, trying to keep us awake, and Jaron turned around from the front seat, asking, “what are you all thankful for this morning?” Kaylee, our YWAM team leader thought a moment, and gave her answer, then turned to us and we continued to go around, answering the question. And so it went each morning. We circled the inside of the van, saying what we were thankful for that specific day.  

Sunshine. The turnout we had at the park the day before. Personal conviction. Team unity. That the van (which we affectionately dubbed LSV, or Legally Suspicious Van) was running properly and that the radio was working. God’s grace and mercies that are new every morning.

We continued this attitude of gratitude throughout our days; if anyone was caught complaining about a situation, the heat, or a circumstance, another of us would jump in and ask, “what’s good about it being this way?” I remember getting to a park one day over lunch. We sat down at the picnic tables, and someone commented on how far away the benches were from the table. Immediately someone chimed, “what’s good about the benches being so far away from the table?” I believe the answer was that it was easier to walk through to get through our food line. Simple? Yes. Sometimes stretched and cheesy? Maybe. Beneficial? Definitely.

I can’t say how much this positive, thankful attitude affected our group. We worked together so well, got so much accomplished, and forged so many relationships that week. It was awesome, and definitely left a lasting impact on me. Which leads me to the continuous practical application of this attitude of thanksgiving.

The week quickly came to an end and we all headed back to our hometowns. We discussed as a group the dangers of a week like this, coming back on a “Jesus-high” as they say; it seems that so many times people are impacted by a week of outreach and missions, but when they return to their own community, the passion dwindles and the spark dies. We wanted this year to be different.

My dear friend Ashley (who is pretty much my identical twin... we’ve discovered we’re nearly the same person and have many of the same quirks and tendencies; I could easily write an entire entry on her and our many adventures, but I’ll save that for another time...) and I spent some time talking about the week, what impacted us the most and how we wanted to apply what we’ve learned to our daily lives. The giving of thanks each morning stood out to both of us, and we felt like that was something simple that could be helpful to continue.

So we made a plan.

We decided to send a text to each other every morning, saying what we were thankful for. As we began this journey, we listed a couple “gifts” we were grateful for each day, whether it was someone’s act of kindness, the sunshine, a good day at work, or a refreshing night’s sleep. As time progressed and we kept up with this habit each day, the lists gradually grew. And grew. And grew. We went from naming a few joy-gifts to typing out paragraphs of simple things that brought us joy throughout our day. These daily treasures weren’t anything huge, extensive, or elaborate.

We named anything from our vehicles to devotionals to God’s grace, specific people in our lives, cereal, cappuccino, tissues, finger nail polish, phone calls, car rides, alone time, understanding, pillows, answered prayers, family, old journal entries, electricity, not being famous, the weather, coworkers, challenges, conviction, cell phones, flowers, patience, blankets, organization, pictures, blow dryers, lists, trying new things, Friday nights, puppies after hair cuts, back scratches, forks and spoons, mints, glasses, deep discussions, sincere compliments, and random opportunities to help others. Sometimes we have repeats, sometimes our texts are silly. One time she quoted the "Thankful Heart is a Happy Heart" Veggie Tales song, and that pretty much made my day.

These are just several examples of the numerous things we choose to be thankful for each day. And it is a choice, really. I’ve come to the conclusion that with every circumstance, whether good or bad, we have the choice to be thankful… either choosing to be thankful for the straight up blessing we’ve received, or choosing to be thankful for a lesson learned or a blessing in disguise.

And not only has it made us more aware of the countless blessings around us, it has strengthened our friendship with each other and our personal relationships with the Lord. The other day we just realized that we’ve been sharing this practice of gratitude every single day for nearly four months now, give or take a few days that we missed here and there. But this has been something we’ve stuck with, and it is incredible the impact it is having on us.

I continue to try my best to choose to have a thankful heart each day. And I don’t always succeed. Many times I find myself complaining or pouting when things don’t go my way, little things set me off, or situations fall short of my expectations. Thankfully, God’s grace is sufficient and His mercies are new every morning. And as He's teaching me the beauty of the little joys in life, to have a thankful heart, and to count my blessings daily, He's teaching me to be content no matter the circumstances.

 ~

 Anna, Ashley and me on the daily route to Louisville (in LSV :).

 My YWAM team leader, Kaylee, and me on our last day in Louisville.

 Our small group missions team (Juanita, Billy, Ashley, Lindsey, Garrett, and me) with our new friends Brian and Amber at Westonia Park.

 Our entire small group missions team that split up during the 

afternoons to lead Bible schools at two different parks near Louisville.

Saying goodbye to Anna, another awesome YWAMer from my missions team, on the last day. I got the opportunity to walk through the streets on a prayer walk with Anna early on in the week, and it was so great getting to know her.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; 

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18