Happy Thanksgiving!

I love Thanksgiving. I love the tables heavy with food and surrounded by family. I love a day specifically set aside to pause and remember the year's joys and challenges, to reflect on the many ways that God is always there each step of the way. And I love that Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season.

This year Jeremy and I are celebrating the day alone. Work schedules got in the way of travel. Spending this holiday as a quiet two-some is strange for me. But still, I am thankful. Today we sit across the table from each other, our plates full of turkey and mashed potatoes and we recognize that we are blessed abundantly.At the end of yoga class last Monday evening, my instructor read the following poem, which has stuck with me throughout this week as I mentally and physically planned and prepared for our small Thanksgiving celebration.

Be Thankful
(author unknown)

Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?

Be thankful when you don't know something,
for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.

Be thankful for your limitations,
because they give you opportunities for improvement.

Be thankful for each new challenge,
because it will build your strength and character.

Be thankful for your mistakes.
They will teach you valuable lessons.

Be thankful when you're tired and weary,
because it means you've made the effort.

It's easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who
are also thankful for the setbacks.

Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.
Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,
and they can become your blessings.

From my house to yours, I wish you a most happy and blessed Thanksgiving!