Thursday, November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving ...[Thanksgiving part 3]


Happy Thanksgiving.
Hope you had enough to eat. That it wasn't too eventful. That you could enjoy who you ate with...
 
What I’m thankful for.
Folks on facebook have been posting of what they are thankful for over the course of the month. A “30 days of thanks.” [so this is your fault Bev. Fry Beckett & Lauren Reike, just so you know…] I thought this was great, however, I didn’t want to compete with them.

There is so much to say…
Thankful for the fact that God not only created most of what I’m thankful for, He actually wants to be with me. To have a relationship with me.
Thankful that His spirit wants to live inside of me. [when I’ve tried to get out]
Thankful that Jesus lived out: “love talked about is easily cast aside, love demonstrated cannot be denied.”
Thankful that he said “no” to so many things I asked him for. [from “please don’t move me to York, wherever that is.” To “please ‘unmake’ me.”]

Thankful for Mickey. My wife. Which translates into: the girl who puts up with my junk…ALL of my junk [writing at all hours. Liking a lot of sci-fi, strange bands that most have never heard of. Like & recharge by being alone – which is SO conductive to being married] Still puts a smile on my face. Is willing to put up with the recreating process of my life. Still laughs with me [yeah, at me too]. Deals with us getting lost sometimes because we were talking too much.

Thankful for my Mother & Dad. Who have no idea what a gift they are to so many people. [I’m glad to hear from those people. I’m so totally one of them, probably #1] Thankful that I still have them. That they are still in love with each other. That they love me, that we are friends. That they lived out following Jesus more than they talked about what it looked like to follow him.

Thankful for my friends. I know it wasn’t always easy for some of you to deal with me, but you rock. [you know who you are] Thankful for our stories. “no mate, I’m as lost as you are.” Our jokes & “special language”
“They said you weren’t fit to sleep with the pigs. But I stuck up for you, I said you were.”

Thankful for the Noll family [aka “The Noll Clan”] What we have is rare, & beautiful. Glad to be a part of it.

Thankful for Living Word Community Church [LWCC]. Reasons? [a blog post unto itself] Christmas, it’s not about us. A thanksgiving meal, on Thanksgiving, for those in York who don’t have family to get together with. Shoeboxes [thanks Franklin Graham for letting us help]. Sendafa, Ethiopia. Guatemala. Cardboard testimonies. Christmas Eve Offering [that goes to… down the street & across the globe]
“You can’t out give God.” – Pastor Steve
… thanks for trying anyway, gang.

Thankful for my Growth Group. It is nice to have Brothers. Prayer for you, with you, beside you in all things. You guys are the best! Thanks for enjoying & accepting my Uncle & my Brother-in-law. The moving ministry. Thanks for being people who help other people.

Thankful for TWLOHA. Such a wonderful story. Thankful for Jamie Tworkowski, Renee Yohe, Ryan [from Between the Trees, & the band for the video so I’d hear about this], John Foreman [of Switchfoot] thanks for asking the 4th person at a show in Orlando: “what does your shirt mean? To write love on her arms?”. And for buying & designing a shirt. David McKenna, for understanding & helping Jamie & Renee. For being willing to be a part of this story of redemption. You were awesome. [we never met… but we will spend a lot of “time” together eventually. Hug my nephews will ya?] [Thanks God, for thinking this up. Only you…only you]
Stop the bleeding
Rescue is possible
LOVE IS THE MOVEMENT
To Write Love On Her Arms

Thankful for Hearts & Minds bookstore [& Staff] You are amazing. Byron you have been a true friend. Thanks for stomaching the emails & loving me anyway. I’m sort of turning it into a story. Maybe I’ll get some “creative input” someday?

I’m thankful that I can:
walk, hike, type, breathe on my own, see, hear, play musical instruments, learn, read, write, take photographs, drive, help others learn, …

Thankful that I have a job.

Thankful that I have Mom’s “Ear for music” [& love of it].

Thankful that both of my parents are good cooks [& the gene passed to me! At least that’s what I’m told]

Thankful that I can make people laugh.

Thankful that I’m still alive. There are people on my side. That my story isn’t over. That it’s moving toward making sense.
Thankful for food, & wonderful people to eat it with.
Thankful for good stories.
Thankful for late nights.
Thankful for early nights.
For rest, & play, & good conversations…
[& the list goes on…]

Thank you God,
that there's always
enough space at your table,
and while no two stories
are the same,
they all have one thing
in common:
saved by grace


May His grace drip from your fingers,
 

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