Today (fo realz this time!) I am thankful for...

Small, hardly noticed moments

Because they can bring you the biggest smile of your day.

Because they can make you laugh. Like almost putting butter in your tea instead of sugar...*cough*

Because they can bring to mind significantly important thoughts that you desperately needed a reminder of.

Because God places them throughout the day, and even though we often miss them, it's a real treat when we do see them.

Today I am thankful for...

Patience

Because without it, all human beings would probably explode.

Because not everything can be done in a second. Even snapping a single picture requires time and patience.

Because I WILL learn this song, I WILL....

Because even though December 18 is still a month away, it's gonna get here!(!!!!!!!!!!!)

Just be patient. However hard it is.

Today, I am thankful for...

Movement

Because it doesn't matter if it's fast or slow. Any form of movement has a sort of wonderful design working behind it, and even to see the smallest measure of how something moves always facinates me.

Because even though movement can be away from something, it can also be toward something. And that can bring complete happiness.

For example, imagine yourself in a car headed to Houston. Happiness, no? (At least on this side anyway..)

So...I'm kinda 4 days behind...and...yeah.

Call me a bad blogger. Go ahead. Do it.

Today, I am thankful for...

Hands.

Which may sound odd...but I really am.

Because, honestly, these funny appendages do so much more than we give them credit for.

Because even when they drive your piano teacher nuts because your stupid pinky won't stay on the keys during those horrid alternative octaves, they can still overcome any obstacle if they genuinely try.

Because even just holding a friend's hand can be even more joyous than a hug.

Because without them, we'd pretty much be hopeless.

Ever since I moved (*cringe*) here, I've had good weeks and bad weeks as far as homesickness goes. Erm, well...the homesickness is always bad, but sometimes it really does stick out more prominently.

This week has been a somewhat bad week...mostly because I haven't been doing a lot and really have no other thing to think about than the life I'm missing. Mostly, I've been able to drown my homesickness in keeping busy, and thus keeping my mind on other things for a brief amount of time. This works some times...but not all the time.

My enemy right now is wishful thinking...thoughts come into my mind about a life that I don't have. Friends that I can't touch, or talk to, or hold. And even though those thoughts seem lovely...they destroy me.

These wishes and thoughts give me temporary contentment, but then I hit reality. I am in Katy, Texas. I am 600 miles away from dear, dear friends. I am not where I want to be.

The more I think about it, homesickness really is a chronic illness. It won't go away easily, and there's no possible way that we can cure it ourselves.

Thankfully, God cures it.

This morning I stayed home from church because I was sick. I felt so alone and I felt as if everyone who could comfort me was out of reach. I immediately thought of one of my favorite verses...

Fear not, for I am with you;

be not dismayed, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

This verse has helped me countless times...and it really helped me today. Because even though my friends are out of reach, my God is not. My God is with me. My God helps me.

So today, I am thankful for God's hands.

Because even though I'm in Katy, I'm still where He wants me and is holding me.

Because even though I'm 600 miles away from everyone, God is with me and has me in His constant embrace.

Because even in long sleepless, dry-eyedless, shoulder-to-cry-on-less nights of missing people, God still gives me the reassurance that He won't let me go.

Today, something struck me that I really should be more thankful for...We went to our good friend Bev's house today to help her put up her Christmas decorations.

(Wait. Huh? Rewind. Christmas decorations, you say? In NOVEMBER? 2 weeks before Thanksgiving?! That's. Nuts.)

Actually, how I wish it were just nuts. But it's more complicated than that. Bev was diagnosed with the same kind of cancer my mom had about a month ago, and she's scheduled for surgery...the DAY before Thanksgiving.

So as you can probably guess, she wouldn't be all too thrilled to put up Christmas decorations while she's recovering, and she's working 12 hour days all week next week, so she'd have no time to do it then...so my mom and I went over and helped.

And it. Was. Fun.

I'm serious.

Miss Bev is seriously the coolest person ever. She's got more energy than a hyperactive gerbil, and I'm always amazed at all the work she gets done! She's one of those peck-on-the-cheek-whenever-I-see-you kinda people. She's just really really cool and so much fun to be around!

But decorating gave me a serious case of deja vu...exactly a year ago, my mom and I were down there for a weekend helping Bev put up those same decorations...except back then, my mom was the one having treatments.

It's been almost a year since my mom finished all her cancer stuff...and I sometimes go for days not even thinking that my mom had cancer a year ago, much less being thankful for it...

Those 9 months and 23 days were the scariest of my life...watching someone I loved go through so much suffering and having absolutely no power to take that pain away was the hardest thing I've ever ever had to do...all I could do was pray. But God showed me so much through that time...He gave me comfort that He would give my mom comfort. And He never ceased to amaze! Anything we prayed for, He gave us ten times over what we expected...isn't God amazing?

So today, I am thankful...

That my mom doesn't have to wear hats anymore.

That every other week isn't chemo week.

That she can play guitar again.

That my Livestrong bracelet doesn't make me cry every time I look at it.

That my mom is cancer free.

Thank you, thank you, thank you, God...

Ok, so I totally started two days early without knowing it...but you can never be too thankful can you? Right?

Today I'm thankful for...

Music.

Because it has so many different facets.

Because it's not just a song. It's beautiful sounds dancing with one another.

Because it's magical.

Because it's a direct gift from God given to us to enjoy and glorify Him with.

I. Love. Music.

I thought I'd join Kaley in her challenge...thing.

So.

Today I am thankful for...

ALL these awesome people.

And I miss them. Like..a lot. A big lot.

Random Fact of the Day:

Andy just started serenading me with "You Belong with Me" and dancing...

I'm NEVER thinking of that song the same way again.

Oh, and I finally updated my weekly word!

(more like semiannual word...)

Gaze upon the glory.

And keep gazing.

Owari.