Finding Reasons to be Thankful in the areas I'm not so Thankful for

It's easy for me to forget that last week was Thanksgiving. Working in retail, the Thanksgiving holiday is easily overshadowed by Black Friday (or Green Friday to the retail world..). The week prior to Thanksgiving is filled with anticipation for Black Friday, Wednesday is all about the final prep, and then before I have time to really enjoy Thanksgiving, it's 4am and Black Friday is upon us.

Working in retail, it's really easy during the holiday season to find things to not be thankful for, such as angry guests who threaten to call all the local news stations when you inform them that we are sold out of the xbox we are promoting in our ad (true story). But I am determined to not let the not so pretty side of the holiday season to ruin the joy that can be found in the reason for the season. I just was really unsure how that was going to be possible.

On Sunday I tried out a new church with my friend (yes, a friend!!) Robin. It was a smaller church, a new site that came out of a much bigger church. It only started about a year ago. The worship was good, the Pastor gave a good message via video (reminded me of Calvary:) ). But it was the words of the Campus Pastor as he prepared us for communion that really hit me. He said that coming out of the Thanksgiving holiday he was sure we each had a lot to be thankful for. BUT he wanted us to dwell on something we weren't thankful for- someone who really rubbed us the wrong way, something or someone that was a thorn in our sides, a financial situation, a hard job. He wanted us to dwell on that, and then find a reason to be thankful for that thorn. Woof! It was a convicting thought, and something I want to put to practice now. So here is a small list of some of the things I find myself complaining to God about daily and my thoughts on how I can be thankful for them.

1. Being so far from my friends and family. Not something I find myself thanking God for daily. But here is what I am thankful for in spite of this. I am thankful that the distance has not caused my friendships to die. I am thankful that

my friends are still intentional. I am thankful that the reason we are separated now is because God has called us to different places and we heard and obeyed. I am thankful that my mom is willing to come up for a few days just to spend time with me...and clean! I am thankful that eventually my brother will get over his fear of driving in the city in order to come visit me with Josh. I am thankful that living near the Pittsburgh airport means my family and friends will include staying with me a night in their travel plans. I am thankful that distance does not erase a support group. I am thankful that the distance makes our reunions that much more fun and special.

2. Grown-up job= no myanmar this year. It is really hard to be thankful for the fact that I have a job when it is limiting my ability to travel to see both my immediate family and those who have come to be my family in Myanmar. But here is what I am thankful for in spite of this. First, I am thankful for the fact that my family is willing to give up their comfortable home to sleep on the floor in my apartment in order to spend Thanksgiving with me. Second, I am thankful that while it is hard to not be able to visit Agape Orphanage this year, we are still given a chance to bless them this holiday season. I am thankful we have a way to give them money. I am thankful for the people who have made the decision to bless Agape through giving this holiday season. And I am thankful that even if I were to never visit Agape again, I can hold onto the promise that I will see them one day in Heaven.

3. Living alone...in Pittsburgh. It is quite a transition to go from living with 5 other beautiful girls and having many more live just down the street, to living alone in a new city. It's hard to be thankful for the constant quiet of my apartment and for the lack of companionship as I explore a new city. But there are reasons to be thankful. I am

thankful that the extra quiet brings more time to be quiet with God. I am thankful that a new city brings new opportunities to get involved in a new church, or new small group. I am thankful that I am still friends with the girls I lived with. I am thankful that living apart means we now have more places to visit- new homes to stay in. Mostly, I am so thankful for the time I got to spend living with them and for the ways God blessed us, stretched us, and laughed with us.

Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Psalm 107:1