Ocho. Neun. Tio.

Ocho.

Laughter.

Today, I laughed the harder than I have laughed in a very long time…which is pretty dang hard because I laugh pretty hard………all of the time…………at everything.

It was at a very inappropriate time though…because it was during church…well…pretty much the whole morning at church…

I know…it was kind of rude…and I apologize to anyone who was sitting around me and became distracted by me…especially the lady to the far left of me at the end of the row…yes…I was aware of and ignoring your disapproving glare burning holes through me…

But this is me…and I like to have fun…and some times…yeah, I am kind of immature about it and I do apologize for that…

If I was that annoying girl who was ALWAYS distracting in church and cleaning out my purse and talking to those around me and texting all the time…then that would be completely different…

But there was a time in my life when I was not aloud to EVER laugh or have fun…and I was completely restricted from being anything remotely close to a “happy” person.

So you know what…when I feel like laughing – I am going to laugh!

I will try to be more considerate about it at times where it’s not exactly appropriate…

But today…it was just really hard to control…and it felt really good...

So today…and basically every day…I am thankful for laughter!

Neun. (9)

God-given discernment.

If you ask God to reveal your heart to you and make you aware of what you need to change and work on and where you need to grow…He will do it.

I’ve been praying a little prayer…and God has been answering it in a big way.

God has been showing me so many different things lately that I need to work on…

And it has been difficult…but really amazing.

For instance…

There are some people that just require a little more patience than others…and God has helped me so much with my heart towards them and how I go about communicating with them…

I think that when we have respect for God…then our respect for everything else just falls into place…like respect for ourselves and others.

We are all God’s children and He loves each and every one of us THE SAME.

And lately He has really been convicting me of that and how I go about handling some people…and how when I am impatient towards people and kind of rude...it's not like I am being rude to just SOMEONE...I am being rude to one of HIS children! And I definitely DO NOT want the wrath of a protective Father hanging over my head...

Like with people who REALLY annoy me…

If I’m being honest…I’m pretty dang annoying myself and I’m almost positive that when I start to pray...all of heaven just let’s out a tiring; “What now?!”

haha okay maybe not...but you know what I mean.

So I am thankful for discernment and God revealing to me what I need to work on…I guess I am pretty thankful for patience as well…there yah go! A little two-in-one action for yah!

Tio. (ten)

Kisses from God.

You know – those little unexpected things that happen through out the day that you just KNOW it is God letting you know that He is thinking about you and He loves you…

I love those moments.

I mean OF COURSE He is ALWAYS thinking about us and He loves us more than we will ever know…but I think that it is extremely easy to forget these two things…or at least become distracted to where we are not being consciously aware of them…

So I am SO thankful for when God sends a little surprise my way and reminds me that He loves me so much.

Six and 7

Six.

I am thankful for a place to call home.

I grew up in this little small town…

When I was little…I was too young to have an opinion on whether or not I liked it here…and when I graduated high school I was ready to move on and never look back…

Yet even while I was in Phoenix – a piece of my heart was always here…

And being back here this past year has been incredible.

I never would have thought I would have moved back here…but now looking at everything that has happened…I wouldn’t have changed me come back here for anything in the world!

And now as I prepare myself for the possibility of moving away again…it’s different than before…

I’m older…and my move would be because of my career…and not necessarily something as time limited as college…

It’s bitter sweet thinking about leaving this little town again…and thinking about the incredible relationships and “family” I have made this past year and a half.

I know God has a plan for me, and I trust that He always has what is best in-store for me. And whether I remain here for the rest of my life, or make 20 more moves in my lifetime…He will always go before me and life will always be an adventure.

But Tehachapi will always be my home.

7:

I am thankful for the junior high and high school students that I work with at church.

They are all SO much fun.

It is crazy how I am there because I want to give to them…and yet they give me SO much, without even knowing it.

To see younger kids being so in love with and thirsty for God is incredible.

There are so many times that I look at them and just think: “Man I wish I was as cool as them when I was younger!” haha…but it’s so true.

It is so cool to see each of them and just watch them grow and be able to get to know their different personalities.

Maybe it is the psychologist in me that just enjoys “observing” them haha…but they are all so smart! And I seriously learn so much from them!

Even those days when I am in a grumpy mood and don’t really feel like my heart is in it…when I leave youth group I just realize how thankful I am for the opportunity to be able to be with these kids and just pour into them and be poured into by them in return.

I know that working with the youth is where my heart is and I am so excited to be where God has me now and see what He has in store for me for the future!

Five

I am thankful that God is FAITHFUL

I know I already said I was thankful for God…but it is literally impossible to think about the things I am thankful for and NOT have something involving Christ come into my head.

I am extremely thankful that my life is in Gods hands.

I am in the middle of a text conversation with one of my best friends talking about what is going on in my life right now.

It is incredible to think about and compare the beginning of this year to where I am now and where God is going to lead me.

I am in the process of doing A LOT of research and preparing for the next “move” in my life and I have found so much encouragement along the way – from my family – to people that I would have never expected it from!

It is incredible seeing God move and work in my life. Scary. But in a very good and incredible way.

Then of course there is always that glimpse of doubt in my mind. That little voice of deceit that just LOOOVVVES to hold me back and bring insecurities…

Then God is ALWAYS right there, ready for battle. Ready to fight off any and every negativity.

At the moment I am pondering something…

God is FAITHFUL.

What does that even mean?!

For the first time in my life – I think I have actually wondered about what being “faithful” even means…

"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

Numbers 23:19

God has made us so many promises…and He is FAITHFUL to fulfill those promises.

In other words…if we are walking with God and our lives align with His will and we pray for Him to reveal to us what it is that He has for us…He will be faithful in placing in us, the desires that He has already PROMISED to give us!!!

How incredible is that.

In all of the inconsistency and let-downs of the world – Christ is the ONE who remains the same. And He never goes back on His word or misguides us.

So again – I am so thankful for Christ’s faithfulness.

3 & 4

Number Three

Friends.

I love my friends so much.

I am a firm believer that God places each person in your life for a purpose.

And I know that each person in my life plays a valuable role in helping make me into the woman that Christ wants me to be.

My friends are definitely a certain kind of special! After all…they can actually stand being friends with me – so that in itself is pretty dang amazing.

They have been there for me through absolutely everything.

From crying like a baby to laughing like a hyena – I always love being with them.

God has placed so many amazing people in my life. And through the years I have been able to learn to much through them.

From my married friends – I see what true love and selflessness in relationships look like.

From my single friends – I see what strength and contentment means.

Each friend in my life is incredible.

# Four:

Hard times.

I am thankful for hard times because I know that God has allowed them into my life for a reason.

I know that it is impossible for me to grow in Christ, unless I experience trials and pain.

Although, of course I would rather just have been born being perfect and not have to experience any of it, I am thankful each day that God gives me where I am able to experience His love and mercy and grace and His strength.

So even though it can just straight up suck...I am still extremely thankful for hard times.

First and Foremost...and Second...

Alright…so for the month of November I really wanted to try to post something different each day about things that I am thankful for…

And look at me…I already failed on day one! Hahahaha…typical

But I am going to try my absolute HARDEST to post at least one thing that I am thankful for each day this month…

I apologize ahead of time if some of them are very short…and I apologize if I miss a day here and there…but like I said…I will try my hardest.

So since according to what my “post date” will be on this thing, it will look like I missed November 1^st…even though it is 12:40 at night and technically, since I have not slept at all, it is still Friday to me…I’ll just act like it is November 1^st and 2^nd and kill two birds with one stone by stating two things that I am thankful for =]

Alright…

Numero Uno:

First and foremost…I am thankful for Christ and His love for ALL of His children.

I know I know…that is kind of like me cheating right? Haha but I don’t care. I have to put Him first because I know I would not have anything to be thankful for if it weren’t for Him, seeing as ALL of my blessings in life come from Him.

I am thankful that He gives me His love. Each and every day. When I least deserve it and when I deserve it even less – because I NEVER deserve it.

He loves me no matter what. And He fills me with love for other people. That is incredible. People that before Him, I would not be able to stand of be around or love. He gives me love for all of His creation…and even though I MAY have a slight inappropriate personality at times…He still turns my heart towards Him and reminds me that He loves ALL of His children THE SAME. THE SAME. THE SAME. Hahaha…okay you get it.

So He is my number one.

#2:

I am thankful for all of my family.

Someone in my family recently passed away and his funeral is tomorrow (Saturday…so today I guess).

He was VERY dear to everyone in my family and everyone who knew him.

When people close to us pass away I think it is always a reminder to just cherish those that God has given us.

I am not going to lie. I may be sick as alllllllll hail of my family at times. And they can say things and do things that drive me absolutely insane and make me think I am off my rocker.

But at the end of the day – I still love them. They are always there for me.

And no matter how much they hound me about needing a husband and starting a family so that they can finally have grandchildren and great grandchildren…I still would hate to go one day without them.

Yeah we have hurt each other a lot…but they’re my family. God knew what He was doing when He put us all together…

I have no idea what He was doing…hahaha…but He does. And that is all that matters.

I am so thankful for them.

Okay…I would probably write A LOT more on both of these subjects…but I just got home and I have to be up for school in 5 hours…so I need some shut eye!