A Missionary’s Life :: A Thankful Heart
Hello friends and family! I hope this blog finds you all well;
stuffed with turkey and enjoying your holiday! Sorry this ‘Friday
Update’ is late, but we’ve been enjoying the past few days RELAXING!
We
had a special friend visiting Michigan for Thanksgiving (shown in the
picture) and she was SO much fun! Tangi is from Mississippi, and LOVES
all things Southern! We talked pageants, disney, music, and SEC
FOOTBALL; cooked together, cheered together, and had a GREAT time! We
have truly had a wonderful week… well, that is until yesterday…
stuffed with turkey and enjoying your holiday! Sorry this ‘Friday
Update’ is late, but we’ve been enjoying the past few days RELAXING!
Wehad a special friend visiting Michigan for Thanksgiving (shown in the
picture) and she was SO much fun! Tangi is from Mississippi, and LOVES
all things Southern! We talked pageants, disney, music, and SEC
FOOTBALL; cooked together, cheered together, and had a GREAT time! We
have truly had a wonderful week… well, that is until yesterday…
After
watching my beloved AUBURN TIGERS run all over overrated Alabama for
the entire game, Bama pulled a win out in the last 2 minutes of the
game. BLACK FRIDAY was the best name for the day; I think I am still in
mourning (and hoarse from yelling)!!! I am very THANKFUL that we live almost 1,000 miles away
from home though, because that means I’m almost 1,000 miles away from
all those Alabama fans! HA!
watching my beloved AUBURN TIGERS run all over overrated Alabama for
the entire game, Bama pulled a win out in the last 2 minutes of the
game. BLACK FRIDAY was the best name for the day; I think I am still in
mourning (and hoarse from yelling)!!! I am very THANKFUL that we live almost 1,000 miles away
from home though, because that means I’m almost 1,000 miles away from
all those Alabama fans! HA!
Okay, okay – I’m sorry, I’ll be nice – especially for those of you dear
friends who are Alabama fans (I still love you, even if you wear the wrong colors! 😉 Football talk over,
let’s get to our blog. We have PLENTY to be thankful for this week, so
that’s what this blog is all about! Check out my list of things I am
thankful for this year!
friends who are Alabama fans (I still love you, even if you wear the wrong colors! 😉 Football talk over,
let’s get to our blog. We have PLENTY to be thankful for this week, so
that’s what this blog is all about! Check out my list of things I am
thankful for this year!
The Top 10 things I’m thankful for in 2009:
#10 OUR MEMORIES – Since last Thanksgiving, we have
made SO MANY wonderful memories! Thanksgiving Day marked the 1 year
anniversary of Rusty and I being reunited after his year away on The
World Race. Since then we’ve met each others friends and family, got
engaged, and moved to Michigan. We also had our BEAUTIFUL wedding down South and a very special
honeymoon! We moved into our first home, made some new friends, and started some new family
traditions (like going to the Arkansas vs Auburn game!) There are many
more memories I can’t list here, but I am thankful for each and every
sweet, special moment we’ve spent together this year!
made SO MANY wonderful memories! Thanksgiving Day marked the 1 year
anniversary of Rusty and I being reunited after his year away on The
World Race. Since then we’ve met each others friends and family, got
engaged, and moved to Michigan. We also had our BEAUTIFUL wedding down South and a very special
honeymoon! We moved into our first home, made some new friends, and started some new family
traditions (like going to the Arkansas vs Auburn game!) There are many
more memories I can’t list here, but I am thankful for each and every
sweet, special moment we’ve spent together this year!
#9 OUR HOME – God provided us with a beautiful little home this
year; thanks to a sweet (and very generous) woman from church. We could
never have afforded a home like this; we would have been struggling
just to afford a safe, decent apartment on our budget! We are so
thankful for our house and for our very cheap rent!!!
year; thanks to a sweet (and very generous) woman from church. We could
never have afforded a home like this; we would have been struggling
just to afford a safe, decent apartment on our budget! We are so
thankful for our house and for our very cheap rent!!!
#8 OUR JOBS – though it has been a rough year for us support
raising (we went back into the ‘red’ this month), I am still SO
thankful for our jobs. I know there are many people who lost their jobs
this year; some late in life. I am thankful we still have some income,
and are able to do the mission work we are PASSIONATE about and called
by God to do!
raising (we went back into the ‘red’ this month), I am still SO
thankful for our jobs. I know there are many people who lost their jobs
this year; some late in life. I am thankful we still have some income,
and are able to do the mission work we are PASSIONATE about and called
by God to do!
#7 OUR SUPPORTERS – yes, we mean YOU! Whether you are a monthly donor,
or gave a one-time gift we are thankful for you! YOUR SUPPORT means the
world to us; you make it possible for us to do the work we are called
to. THANK YOU for being partners in our ministry!!!
or gave a one-time gift we are thankful for you! YOUR SUPPORT means the
world to us; you make it possible for us to do the work we are called
to. THANK YOU for being partners in our ministry!!!
#6 OUR MICHIGAN ‘FAMILY’ – We are truly blessed to have been
welcomed as we have to Michigan. We are so thankful for our Michigan ‘Mom & Dad’ Michael and
Kathy Hindes (and their awesome sons!), our World Race brothers and sisters, and everyone at
Cross Current Church who has accepted us, helped us, and become our
Michigan ‘family’!
welcomed as we have to Michigan. We are so thankful for our Michigan ‘Mom & Dad’ Michael and
Kathy Hindes (and their awesome sons!), our World Race brothers and sisters, and everyone at
Cross Current Church who has accepted us, helped us, and become our
Michigan ‘family’!
#5 OUR SOUTHERN FRIENDS –
Of course, we can’t forget our friends back home! They are the ones who
have been there through the long haul. They remember our memories from
college, or high school, or even further back. They can tell the
stories near and dear to our hearts (and the ones we’d like to forget!
HA!) They are the ones who threw our wedding showers, stood beside us
on our wedding day, and visited at the funeral home when Rusty’s Papaw
passed away. They are those friends who are really more like family. To
all of you – you know who you are – THANK YOU! We love you and look
forward to many more years of friendship! 😉
Of course, we can’t forget our friends back home! They are the ones who
have been there through the long haul. They remember our memories from
college, or high school, or even further back. They can tell the
stories near and dear to our hearts (and the ones we’d like to forget!
HA!) They are the ones who threw our wedding showers, stood beside us
on our wedding day, and visited at the funeral home when Rusty’s Papaw
passed away. They are those friends who are really more like family. To
all of you – you know who you are – THANK YOU! We love you and look
forward to many more years of friendship! 😉
#4 OUR HEALTH – As someone who was sick a lot
growing up (and was healed miraculously TWICE), I am very thankful for
my health this year! I’m also thankful Rusty is healthy, since last
year in November he was struggling through the final days of Dengue
Fever overseas. I’m thankful too that my parents are well, and my
brothers- especially my baby brother Jaron who went through several
years of serious illness while I was in college. I’m thankful too for
the health of my Granddaddy; he is my last grandparent left and I’m so
glad he’s still around!
growing up (and was healed miraculously TWICE), I am very thankful for
my health this year! I’m also thankful Rusty is healthy, since last
year in November he was struggling through the final days of Dengue
Fever overseas. I’m thankful too that my parents are well, and my
brothers- especially my baby brother Jaron who went through several
years of serious illness while I was in college. I’m thankful too for
the health of my Granddaddy; he is my last grandparent left and I’m so
glad he’s still around!
#3 OUR FAMILY – I am so thankful for our family; and loving how it
multiplied this year! Now I not only have the family I grew up with,
but some very sweet in-laws too (and I finally got a SISTER!) I love
them all, and look forward to spending time with everyone at Christmas
🙂
multiplied this year! Now I not only have the family I grew up with,
but some very sweet in-laws too (and I finally got a SISTER!) I love
them all, and look forward to spending time with everyone at Christmas
🙂
#2 MY HUSBAND – After waiting 25 years to find the man I love, I
am SO thankful for my sweet husband Rusty! He is my best friend, my
partner, my warrior, my LOVE. He is who I laugh with, cry with, dream
with, and plan with. We have had a wonderful 7 months of marriage, and
I look forward to many more Thanksgivings with him!
am SO thankful for my sweet husband Rusty! He is my best friend, my
partner, my warrior, my LOVE. He is who I laugh with, cry with, dream
with, and plan with. We have had a wonderful 7 months of marriage, and
I look forward to many more Thanksgivings with him!
#1 SALVATION – Though it may seem cliche, I am truly grateful for
not only my salvation, but my relationship with my Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. It has been a blessing to travel around the world doing
ministry, but it has also been eye-opening; I have seen the confusion
and hopelessness that comes from so many other religions out there. The
GOOD NEWS is, I have ALSO seen the unwavering HOPE in the hearts of
Christians in intense suffering around the world. Oh how lucky; how
blessed I am to have been born here in the US into a Christian family!
I cannot imagine my life without the TRUTH, HOPE, and LOVE of Christ!
not only my salvation, but my relationship with my Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. It has been a blessing to travel around the world doing
ministry, but it has also been eye-opening; I have seen the confusion
and hopelessness that comes from so many other religions out there. The
GOOD NEWS is, I have ALSO seen the unwavering HOPE in the hearts of
Christians in intense suffering around the world. Oh how lucky; how
blessed I am to have been born here in the US into a Christian family!
I cannot imagine my life without the TRUTH, HOPE, and LOVE of Christ!
I hope you all have had time to reflect on what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving.
Blessings to you all and HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
