Thankful for the 'Don't Haves'

Giant Bird in the oven, smell of pumpkin and cinnamon, stretchy pants on, and enough food to feed a small army....Yep, Thanksgiving is here.

Let's face it one of the big reasons Americans look forward to Thanksgiving is the food. One of the only days where leftovers throughout the day is a good thing.

But I think sometimes we get so caught up in the food, the preparation, the unavoidable clean up, and all the distractions that come along with holidays we can lose sight of what's really important.

This Thanksgiving feast will be a lot different for me. There are a lot of things I can't eat this time around because of my health stuff. A lot of my favorites since I was a little punkin myself will be off the menu for me.

Am I disappointed? I'd be lieing if I didn't say a little. Pumpkin pie and coffee have been taunting my dreams. But I'm not as disappointed as I thought I'd be.

Last year I didn't have these diet restrictions but I also was a lot further from finding any kind of answer to my sickness. This year I feel closer to finding some relief...to healing. I can choose to be thankful for that or complain about the foods I can't eat.

So this Thanksgiving, as strange as it may sound, I'm thankful for all the things I can't and don't have. Those things just allow me to be even more grateful for all the things I DO have.And when I start to focus on what I do have I realize there is no comparison.

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

It's something I'm trying to live by every day of my life not just on Thanksgiving. No matter what I'm going through, what I face, or how much pain I'm in I can be grateful. 

Is it always easy? Heck to the no. Always worth it? You bet your turkey.

I'm so incredibly thankful for the love in my life.I have people that I love and that love me.I have an amazing family, an incredible, God picked husband, and the best friends in the universe,  


I may not have my health right now but I'll always have the love of my Jesus and what God has done in my life. And that is worth so much more than all the don't haves in the world.

So I challenge you in the midst of the pie eating and football watching today to think about that. No matter the foods that may burn, the things the kids may spill, or the tension that may come from family members, or the ones that refused to come... take a moment, breathe, and see that despite all that may go wrong or all the don't haves there is still something to thank God for today...and every day.

                                                          HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."Psalm 107:1