Just to share some things, I want to start out by saying how thankful I am for my Harvest family. There are many names that I can share and list specific things that I appreciate about each of them, however, I won't. But I will say there is always someone that I can turn to whether it be for advice, encouragement, or simply someone to just talk to or hang out with, someone is there. I never get the impression that I am being bothersome no matter how often I talk to the same person or seek advice from them. I could not ask for a better place to work. God is good!
Secondly, as the holiday season approaches I have wondered what I will do with not being able to go home, but I have had multiple offers from different people to spend Thanksgiving with them, or to just chill and do different things over the Christmas Break. I know that although I will be away from my family and will miss them dearly that I will not be lonely, and for that I am very thankful! God provides!
Thirdly, with having been homesick recently I have been trying to keep my schedule busy and take advantage of the various things that I have here and be thankful for them instead of dwelling on what I don't have and the things that I miss. Also, with today being Friday I have been thinking about what I should do tomorrow to keep myself busy and trying to figure out who I should call to plan something. As I was pondering this dilemma, my phone rang and someone that I have not been able to talk to much called to see if I had any plans for tomorrow and invited me join her for an adventure. It just so happened that she had gotten passes and the person she was going to invite wasn't able to go anymore so she called me. This made me realize that God cares about even my smallest "needs" or desires. He will take care of me and I have absolutely nothing to worry about....just more things to be thankful for!
I have been struggling a little recently with needing a car and wondering how long I will have to wait, but the more I think about it the more I realize that God already has all that figured out. He has the right car out there for me somewhere and when I really need it it will become available and all the details will work out. I just need to trust Him and be thankful that I don't have the extra expense and responsibility to worry about now. God's plan is perfect!
I am also so thankful for each of my students and their families. Most, if not all, of my parents are very understanding and helpful, and overall my students are well behaved. But as I am typing this right now, I am realizing that I am also thankful even for the naughty students. I get to learn how to deal with various situations that can be challenging, and because of this I can grow as a teacher and learn things that I otherwise would not have been able to learn if my kids were all well behaved. The more challenging students add an interesting dynamic to the classroom. There is never a dull moment, and today I found myself laughing (inside) at different things that they were doing even though it may not have been what they should have been doing! ...Now you are probably wondering if I am going to share any stories. Honestly right now I can't think of any...you almost just had to be there and see them, their little mannerisms and understand the situation, but if I think of one I will definitely share it, so stay tuned!
God definitely does have a sense of humor, though!
Another thing to be thankful for is Skype and being able to make free phone calls to the States on nights and weekends. I am thankful for the many friends and family that I have all over the world praying for me, and being able to call them every now and then (some once a week). This is a luxury that is so easy to take for granted, but something that I am very thankful for. It makes the distance not seem quite as big, and even in some sense the time goes by faster being able to keep up to date with the various happenings. God loves us and hears our prayers!
So, I want to close with challenging you to take a minute or two to really stop and think of the many things that you have to be thankful for. Maybe some things that you take for granted...like cold weather or snow during this holiday season. ;) Whatever it may be, stop and thank God for it. This has helped me not only think about what I have, but realize more of who God is. So thank Him for the good and the bad, for the easy and the hard, because He has a perfect plan that He is working through you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: ..."
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