family, friends, faith--so many blessings

I love Thankful Thursdays.
They're a rock in a sea of change.
They ground me.
They re-focus me.

OK, maybe that's a little dramatic, but I still love having a day every week that reminds me to focus on all the amazing blessings God has given me.  I mean, I know God is awesome, but really!!  He is so incredibly gracious all the time.  (For more on that, see yesterday's post.)

Today, I am thankful (as always!) for my amazing husband.  I can't put into words the blessing he is to me every day.  He is my reality check, my self-esteem-booster, my source of romance, my personal comedian, my best friend and my favorite person.  And just this morning he told me that the homemade cinnamon rolls I made for breakfast were the best he's ever had.  Bar none.  Including Cinnabon.  If he hadn't already endeared himself to me, that would have done it right there.

I am thankful that in TEN DAYS not only will my parents and sister be here, but so will my best friend and her family...and the two families will get to meet for the first time!!  I last saw my family in May and I last saw my friend...well, about two weeks after that, so it is high time for a visit.  And THEN the first week of August we're going to a family reunion with my parents, siblings, and, well, the whole family on my grandma's side.  (This happens about once every two years, so we are tight. :) )  And Joshua gets to meet most of them for the first time...which will be a little overwhelming, but I'm so excited!

I am thankful for good food.  Beef, cream-of-mushroom soup, and red wine in a slowcooker for six hours on high results in some of the most yumminess I've put in my mouth for a while.  And, as I mentioned, killer cinnamon rolls.  YUM.

I am thankful for friends with whom we can talk about our faith, and who challenge, inspire and encourage us.  We and another couple decided to start meeting on Saturday nights for dinner and a Bible study for the rest of the summer (and maybe into the school year) and I'm so thankful for them and our time together.  And we get to hang out again the day after tomorrow!

I am thankful that God continually speaks to and encourages me, and the many creative ways he chooses to do so...books, blogs, friends, family.  I have felt his presence more clearly the last week or so than I have before.  I want nothing more to be in intimate fellowship with my heavenly Father...may he grant me the grace to be open to that and to be in communication with him.

I'm also so very thankful for the new, wonderful people I am getting to know through blogging.  I wish I had more hours in a day to keep in better touch with everyone!  It's amazing to realize how many other people are so much like me...and how far the Body of Christ really reaches.  Heaven is going to be incredible (we'll have to have a big bloggers' get-together once we're all there! :D ).

Share in the comments, if you would like, all the ways God has blessed you in the last few days.  I love to hear how he is working!


Linking today with:
black tag diaries; The Fontenot Four; First Day of My Life; Kate Says Stuff; A Punk, a Pumpkin and a Peanut; Live Called