This Thanksgiving, I’m really taking time to focus on all of the blessings in my life. For the first time since I can remember, I won’t be shopping on Black Friday. Instead, I’ll be celebrating Christmas with family – decorating the house and the tree, going to an outdoor tree lighting ceremony, and watching Christmas Vacation.
At first I was disappointed I would be breaking my shopping tradition (I really love my traditions), but then I realized that spending time with family, particularly in this time, is a blessing, and so much more important. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t know what the future holds. However, I know that God does, and while that’s not always as comforting as I want it to be – control freak that I am, I know that our future is in the best possible hands.
Jason and I read a devotion the other day that talked about thanking God for the things we take for granted – “legs that walk, eyes that see, lungs that breathe, a family that loves, friends that care,” and how sometimes we fail to just say “thank you.” It was so simple and yet I found it so powerful and honestly very humbling. Since getting married in June of 2019, Jason and I have really made an effort to thank each other for the things we do for one another each day. Things like doing the dishes, vacuuming, sweeping, picking up, etc. It feels good to show gratitude to someone and to know that someone appreciates what you’re doing, even if it’s something you should be doing anyway.
So I wanted to take a moment to write down 10 things that I’m thankful for.
- A husband who does all he can to be there for me – a shoulder to cry on, advice when I need it, and a good dose of reality when I inevitably get ahead of myself.
- A job that pays the bills – while I may not always like my job, I am thankful to have one in a time when many people don’t. Work is a blessing, even when it doesn’t always feel that way.
- A roof over my head and food on my table – anyone who lives in or near a large city knows that not everyone is blessed with a place to live and food on their table for three meals each day. It’s something we often take for granted, but it is a huge blessing.
- Every one of you! It’s been a dream of mine to start a blog and write about fashion, beauty, and lifestyle for many years now, and I really appreciate every single person that takes the time to read my blog posts and “like” my photos on Instagram. It truly means the world to me!
- Health. I’m so very thankful to be relatively healthy. I think this is something that we often take for granted until it’s gone, although we’ve certainly been reminded of what a blessing it is during the pandemic. I pray that all of you stay healthy too.
- The ability to work from home. I’m thankful that even though my job is supposed to be in an office, I am able to successfully work from home and be remote. It’s not the same as being able to see my coworkers every day, but I’m thankful that the pandemic hasn’t made my job impossible.
- The ability to cook more. Without a commute, I have been able to spend more time cooking, which is something that I really love to do! We have been eating several HelloFresh meals each week, which has fueled my love for cooking!
- My faith. The pandemic has really reminded me how much I value my faith. I can’t imagine how hard it would be to get through the pandemic without knowing that God has a plan for my life. I don’t know what that plan is, but I trust Him. It doesn’t mean that nothing bad will ever happen, but it’s comforting to know that everything isn’t just up to chance.
- Freedom. I’m thankful to live in the United States of America. I’m thankful for every man and woman who fought to give me the freedom that I enjoy today. I think it’s another one of those things that many of us take for granted because we’ve never known anything else.
- Time with family. I know many people are spending the holidays alone this year, and I know that must be so hard. So it is not lost on me that getting to spend Thanksgiving with my family is a blessing. I certainly don’t take it for granted.
I hope that you take a moment to write down 10 things that you’re thankful for as well. It’s a great exercise that is very positive and uplifting, something we could all use right now!
Outfit Details: Amazon Sweater Dress // Headband // Boots (old Banana Republic) similar here
