Something to be Thankful for:

With Thanksgiving approaching, I can think of countless things to be thankful for. I find it amazing that I was born into this world surrounded by a loving family devoted to serving and loving God, given the most wonderful friends, I live in a beautiful place, go to a great college, I am studying to have a job as a nurse that my heart burns with passion for, and I have been given health and am sustained by the hand of the One who knitt me together in my mother's womb. I have done absolutely nothing to deserve or earn these things...it is completely out of God's amazing grace; for that I am tremendously thankful!

A little update on the health too! I have been on my IV antibiotics for the past 2 and a half weeks or so. I get to finish them this Thursday!!
For some reason, this round of IV meds has been a lot more of a burden on my shoulders than the others. Not for any particular reason though...I don't really understand it.
Originally I was only supposed to be on the IV meds for two weeks, but after the first week my doctor called and decided to put me on one more antibiotic. That day I felt really discouraged, weighed down and weary - agian i'm not really sure why, becuase i normally take 2 different kinds of IV meds anyway. The whole day I was feeling really overwhelmed, but when i went to dinner that night something changed. I was in the caf eating with some of my friends and God allowed two things to happen. I was able to help someone by offering them a ride to the pharmacy, and I ran into a girl who is in one of my classes who was going through some major health difficulties and stopped to talk with her for a short time and offered her some encouragement.
I say these things not to brag about things i did, but really just the opposite reason. When I walked out of the caf that night, something changed. I literally had a renewed peace, joy, and energy. I realized that by taking the focus off of myself and onto those around me in need, my load didn't seem so heavy anymore - in fact it was a joy to carry if it meant that God could use it to show others His love for them.
Sometimes the loads we have to carry seem too heavy, they weigh us down and zap our joy away from us. Sometimes though, I truly beleive that God allows those loads to show those around us that He cares deeply for them and loves them eternally. Picture a weak old woman carrying a huge bag over her shoulder; at first she struggles, but when she directs her face to the Lord, she finds the strength to go on carrying it. As she moves forward, she begins standing more upright like the bag doesn't weigh anything. God is strong in her weakness - that's what gives her the strength to press on. And more than that, what makes it worth it all is to pass by someone else who is having trouble carrying their load and stopping to help them. Sharing with them that the only reason you stand with joy and can carry the load you have without collapsing is becuase God took the weight from it on himself through His Son Jesus. We don't have to bear the wieght. The loads we carry in life don't always go away, but the weight of them can and do, by the precious blood of Christ.
I don't know if that analogy made sense, but I felt i needed to share it. If you are carrying any heavy weight on your shoulders, know that the weight of it wasn't meant for you to carry.
"give all your cares and worries to God, for he cares about you." - 1 Peter 5:7
May you be truly blessed this Thanksgiving!