I'll be honest. Today, this Thanksgiving morning, I didn't wake up in a thankful mood. This is the first Thanksgiving without my dad, and that is not something I'm thankful for. You can not even imagine how much we all miss him. I had to sneak away at several points yesterday to lock myself in an empty bedroom to call Mitchell and just cry. And I cried hard. During one of my meltdowns, I blubbered through my tears, "the more and more family members that show up, the more and more I notice that my dad is missing." I woke up in the middle of the night thinking, "it's not fair." It's not fair that there are families out there who get to spend Thanksgiving with their dad. It's not fair.
But then God quietly whispers to me a Bible verse I've come to know well. "In ALL things, give thanks." In ALL things, in EVERY circumstance. But HOW can I give thanks for losing my dad? That is not something I'm thankful for. As I sat there contemplating what God had just whispered to me, it hit me like a lightbulb. This verse, based on 1 Thessalonians 5:18, doesn't say FOR every circumstance, give thanks, it says IN every circumstance, give thanks. So on this day, in this circumstance, I give thanks.
I give thanks for the incredible gift my mom and dad gave me, the gift of life.
I give thanks for my mother, who continues to amaze and inspire me with her courage, strength, and faith in the Lord.
I give thanks for my older brother Tyler, who serves as my voice of reason and strong rock!
I give thanks for my younger brother Matthew, who serves as my daily test of patience, but is a shining example of what it means to be loyal. He is the most loyal person I know.
I give thanks for my sister Carmen who challenges me daily to keep a positive attitude about life.
I give thanks for my cousins, aunts, and uncles who have been there to support and love us!
I give thanks for my amazing fiancé Mitchell. I can't imagine going through this without him. And when I think about our life together and the things we have to look forward to, it fills my heart with so much hope!
I give thanks for my friends who have proven to be true as they have been there every step of the way!
I give thanks for my 2nd family, the Steeles, who have been praying for us and loving us all the way from Pennsylvania and Georgia!
I give thanks for the 21 years I got to be my dad's daughter.
I give thanks for the way he taught us all how to love.
I give thanks for the memories we shared with him, and the lessons he taught us.
I give thanks for Jesus, and the sacrifice he made on the cross for us. It is because of Jesus, my dad is spending this Thanksgiving in heaven! It is because of Jesus, we will ALL get to see my dad again.
I give thanks for this faith we have in heaven and the eternal life that awaits each one of us who choose to believe and trust in Jesus!
"Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."- 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
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