Friday Five: Thankfulness

Today’s "Friday Five" from the Revgals is to share five things or people that I am thankful for this past year. 

1.  GOD.  Not to be a stereotypical "Rev Gal" but I must rank God as number one.  Without God’s grace, faithfulness, love, forgiveness, patience and presence this past year, I would be nothing.  I know this is a given, perhaps, but it must be stated.  God has hung in there with me when I was hurting, unfaithful, angry, goo-goo-gaa-gaa and a royal pain in the butt. 

2.  PARENTAL UNITS.  I love my parents.  I have great parents. Superb. Excellent. Wonderful. Priceless. "Take-it-to-the-bank-and-back" parents.

3.  BLAKE.  (and his parents who gave him to me.) What fun a nephew is! He teaches me so much and I love watching his innocence.  He gives me a better picture of how God loves us and how he patiently tries to teach us. 🙂

4. MY HOUSE.  I moved into my very first new home in April and I love it.  I wake up with thankfulness to God for the roof over my head and the job that helps to provide it.  The home helps me to pause and remember to thank God, to not take things for granted and to realize at the same time that I could easily lose it all – but not God.

5. MY YOUTH. As in the youth in my youth group. Not my personal youth which gets farther away with each passing day.  This past year I’ve been on many wonderful adventures with my youth – through depression and their grace to me; an amazing mission trip to San Antonio; weekly Bible studies in my home; slumber parties and tp-ing adventures; little love notes; fall retreat memories and God-moments.  I love my youth.  I am so thankful for the amazing group of youth that I get to share life with.