Thankful

Last December as Sarah and I, quite literally, BAKED in Mozambique I made a promise that I would never again complain about snow for as long as I live. It seemed like the obvious remark to make at the time, with sweat pouring off our skin and our faces pressed as close to the fans as possible without getting our noses caught in the blades. Back in North Dakota, today marked day #1 of flurries, and so far I am doing well with my promise:)! Ask me again in two weeks and I will probably have failed miserably, but today I loved the snow. In fact I am rather impatient for enough to fall so that I can build a snowman, have a snowball fight, and of course, go sledding. A new tobaggan may need to be purchased this winter, as my unstoppable, lightening-quick, inflatable, 3-person snow machine sustained a terminal punture wound at the end of winter 05-06. That sled was amazing.

With Thanksgiving just a few hours away I am faced with the happy obligation of thinking through the myriads of things for which I am grateful to God. He has blessed me with much... opportunities, relationships, health, family, toys, imagination... I could go on and on. The more I think on these things the more I feel like a brat for asking anything else of Him. "Yes, Lord, I am thankful for these things... but if you would just give me _______." This is often my attitude, and I wish that would change but I don't know how to completely change it while still being honest.

It is a simple thing to remember last Thanksgiving with fondness. Sarah and I made an extremely untraditional meal of chicken (we couldn't get turkey), potatoes, veggies, and apple cake for dessert (pumpkins didn't appear until April/May). Even without the traditional cuisine, last Thanksgiving was beyond memorable and loaded with thanks. We celebrated with our family, Carlos, Pascua, Nysha, and Tabitha Giua. The evening began as all evenings do in the Giua household, with fervent prayer and lots of laughter. I remember the smell of their home, the way their chairs felt, the coolness of the floor, the noises outside... everything. It's such a wonderfully real memory. Just as I missed my American family last year, this year I will miss my Mozambiquan family.

At this moment I am fighting the urge to start a list of things I am thankful for. After all, there is no way I could possibly do justice to such a list even if I were to type all night long. Hopefully if you know me well you can hear the things I do not say...

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!