Love

The other morning Tom woke up saying "theres my future wife."  Now we are not engaged yet, but the subject comes up a lot.  Obviously it got me thinking about various things, mainly us. 

Many women think Im crazy or whatever, but I do not need an expensive diamond ring or anything to know Tom loves me remind me he wants to marry me.  My ring should be whatever Tom feels represents us as a couple and our life together.  It doesnt  need to be thousands of dollars.  That seems like putting a price on our live/relationship.  Which just seems wrong.

Love and marriage shouldnt start with how much is spent on rings, dress, etc.  It starts with us,loving each otther and plan our,lives together.  Nothing more.  Nothing less.

Friendships

Sometimes it is amazing wgen you sit back and look at friendships in your life.  In the past few years I have lost countless friends.  Some close and painful to lose, others not so much.  Many things have made thosr friendships fizzle, and there are some that I don't understand what happened.

Today Tom and I spent our day with Josh and Kate.  Its always a joy to spend the day with them.  Today I mostly sat back admiring our friendships.  I thought about other friendships and realize how thankful I am for my friends: all of them, and ones that it might be time to let go of.  I also thought of friebds that I ned to be a better friend to like Terry.

There is a sayinh that friends are the family God forgot to give us.  I have a few I would say are family.  We love family despite shortcomings.  So does that mean I should firgive a friend who has offended not only but Tom as well?  What things in a friendship should be forgiven, and what not to be forgiven? When dies that line get drawn?

Random thanks

Its starting to get closer to Thanksgiving, the time if year we gorge ourselves on turkey, and maybe gives thanks for things in our lives. All too soon that day will come and go and we will go back to not goving a second thought to being thankful or saying it to those we appreciate. Ive been trying to do a weekly thing of giving thanks and I admit sometimes I just forget. But that doesnt make me any less thankful.

There are so many things and people that I am thankful for, but I will save that for another post. I see things everyday that not only I should be thankful for but everyone. Why is it we have a hard time saying Thank you or Thanks. I think we need to do it more often. To stop and think about the things that mattet to us and that we are thankful for.

Family

Right now I am watching my dad, brother and Tom work on a fence for the yard. Its the perfect picture perfect moment. The three guys worling hard, the trusty old.dog following daddy around. Its a gorgeous day out too. The sun is shining and warm with a slight breeze.

It may not be a moment that stories upon stories are told about, but its a moment not only I will cherish, but the men will too I'm sure. All I need to have it be 100% perfect is mom sitting here with.me,.but shes working so ill settle for texting her.

Its a moment.like this where I sit back and have to thank God for allowing me to have it. Thank God for something so simple and what others would see as mundane. Its helping me remember how much I really appreciate and love them.

Pastoral Thanks

Since this month is Pastor Appreciation I think all of the thankfulness posts are going to be for each of my pastors. This week goes to a pastor who shows strength in all things he does. A pastor who sacrifices his own comfort to protect those he loves as well as our country. That pastor is Pastor Jason. Pastor Jason is one of those people that you want around you, it is hard not to love Pastor Jason. There are so many things about Jason that one person can be thankful for; he is simply awesome.

First and foremost for serving our country. We cannot comprehend how difficult that was

Being a model of strength and virtue

As with Pastor Paul: being a great example of loving your spouse unconditionally

Willing to lend a hand

His hugs. They seem to be able to make problems seem smaller

Honesty Something not many people have anymore. Jason is always honest with those around him

Helpfulness; He loves helping other people when he can, he’d give you the shirt off his back if he could

Compassion/caring heart

I am thankful that Jason shows emotion. He teaches the young men around him that it’s okay to show emotion

His laughter, it is simply infectious. You cannot help but laugh when Jason laughs.

Jason is one of those people that makes your day when you see them. Pastor Jason always has something to say that we can learn from in all aspect of life not just spiritual life. Pastor Jason does so much not only for the church, the country, but for his friends, family and community. He is a prodominate figure in all aspects. In short, I am simply thankful for Pastor Jason.

Thankfulness

For some reason I stopped doing this and I think I should get back into doing the blog, especially my thankfulness posts. October is a month of celebration and awareness. It is breast cancer awareness as well as Pastor Appreciation month. So for this post I am going to choose one of my pastors: Pastor Paul. There are so many things I am thankful for with Pastor Paul.

Always being there to listen and offer helpful, Biblical and fatherly advise

Being unjudging and accepting for who we are

Helping me remain strong through everything

Willingness to sacrifice his own comforts

His ability to make any situation fun and serious at the same time

Y.E.S. Camp

Showing what loving your spouse really means

Being a shining example of a Godly man

Caring about everyone and showing it

I am thankful that Pastor Paul puts his heart into the church, his family, and his job. He shows what dedication is. He shows true passion and compassion in everything he does.

While this month is Pastor appreciation month, I think we should show appreciation for our pastors every week in some form. Pastor Paul is an amazing pastor, friend, and role model. It is hard not to learn something from him even if you are simply having a conversation with him. I am thankful to call him not only my pastor but also my friend and someone I look up to and admire.

Looking Back

Four years ago I was sitting in my doctor’s office waiting to hear news that could change my life for the second time that year. I was waiting to hear the results of several scans, several blood work, and months of chemotherapy. I was waiting to hear if I was cancer free or if I needed to continue fighting. I would find out if I still have something inside my body that I personally had no control over.

April of 2007 I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lyphoma; I learned a lot through the trials of chemotherapy. I learned more about my faith, I gained a better understanding of crying out to God, tearing your clothes in anguish (believe me I wanted to do just that at times). I learned the true power of prayer and my appreciation for all the small things have gotten better. I look at a sunset or a flower blooming in the garden and it means so much more to me than it did before. I feel more humbled and the bigger grand design of things.

Through the cancer I realized I am more of a speck. I have a small insignificant role in a grand design. Emerson talked in his essay on Nature about the transparent eye (or something like that) I can somewhat understand that better. I can; on a small scale; understand what God must be seeing. Things are different, the way I view the world, people in my life, even my own life. I work hard to appreciate the simple things even if it is being able to wake up every day and take a breath of air, even if it is really cold air.