Happy November

It's been about two weeks since I've been here, which is about three weeks overdue.  I've been journaling, worshiping, praying, hoping, and lots and lots of thinking.  To say that this time of year is chaotic is an understatement.  In fact, I've been so busy that I haven't even really had time to feel like myself.  Pretty weird, huh?  I mean, I even tweet less now.  If you follow me on twitter (sorry if you do), you know how abnormal that is.  Sometimes life just gets crazy, though, and you need some space, you know?  I've taken space, perhaps too much, to work on myself.  I'm blessed and grateful that as I work on me, Jesus works on me, too.  I'm very blessed by the Lord's work within me.

Sometimes you just need time to think and stuff.
With that said, this post feels more out of obligation (since it's been a while) than out of my heart's call.  Which means this could go either really well or really bad, hah.  I'm posting anyway.  Pray for me, please, as I try to get back to my normal self after a season of hard.  That's the only way to describe it: boom, boom, boom, one thing after another.  Thank goodness Jesus is bigger.

I'm a little scatter-brained right now. Happy November.  November is in my top five favorite months.  The weather, the smiles, the leaves (and the leaf tornadoes, how does that happen anyway?), the scarves, the hiking, the pictures.  I'm thoroughly obsessed.  But my favorite part has got to be the way we, humans, subconsciously shift our thinking.  When I think of November, I think of thankfulness.  And I know I'm not the only one that feels like way.  I have a joy in my heart that is due solely to the season.  Jesus made me a lady that craves fall and winter.  It's a time of rest and darkness and relaxation and slow words and warm drinks and abundant hearts.  And I sound dramatic, but how can you not love fall and winter?

In the spirit of November, I wake up and my first thought is to count my blessings.  For everyday, I find at least one relatively large thing to be thankful for.  So, keeping in that spirit, I'm going to post somewhat periodically of what I'm thankful for day-by-day.  I hope you'll take this time and thank Jesus as well.

Day 1-November 1st:
I'm thankful for the changing of seasons.  I'm thankful for the fact that the seasons we are in are not the end.  That life continues, that Jesus redeems.  Praise God for that.  I'm thankful for hope that things will move on.  I'm thankful for seasons.

Day 2-November 2nd:
I'm thankful for good weather.  Weather that reminds me that the Lord is good as my heart is kissed by His precious Spirit (more flowery language, I can't help it).  I'm thankful for warmth and for breezes.  I'm thankful for the beauty of nature.  I'm thankful that the leaves change and remind me that I, too, am allowed to change.

I'm also thankful for the way that nature aligns.  You can call it science, but I genuinely believe that the Lord knows when we need an extra hour (daylight savings)- to rest, to relax, to recoop.  It even gets darker earlier.  If that isn't Jesus screaming at us to slow down and to relax, both physically and in His presence, I don't know what is.  I'm grateful for a God that forces me to brake when I'm driving 1000 mph and I can't even find the time to close my eyes. 

Day 3-November 3rd:
I'm thankful for resurrection: Jesus' resurrection, my upcoming resurrection, and the resurrection of my heart.  I'm thankful that Jesus intervened to resurrect my dead soul.  I'm thankful for the fact that my dead heart was not forced to stay dead.  I'm thankful that Jesus is able to intervene.

Day 4-November 4th:
I'm thankful for my identity (even on chaotic Mondays).  I'm thankful for lost and found wallets.  I'm thankful that my identity is found in Christ.  I'm thankful for the fact that I am not identified by who I used to be, but by who the Lord calls me to be.

Day 5-November 5th:
I'm thankful for the Lord's continual provision over me.  That's kind of broad, but I'm thankful for the fact that I can rest assured in who the Lord is and the fact that He will continue to provide for me.

Day 6-November 6th:
I'm thankful for lazy days with friends.  I'm thankful for a break in stress.  I'm thankful for time to escape.  I'm thankful for pleasant distractions, even when they're maybe not my wisest of decisions.  I'm a strong advocate in taking time for myself, spending money on myself, and basking in the beauty of loving me.

Be thankful.  It's November and it's so, so beautiful.


Also, here are other pictures from my life.  It's been a while since I've done this, so.

Yes, I was a Toddler and Tiara for Halloween.  

All-in-all, I'm thankful for sweet friends, sweet words, and the sweet things that the Lord has for me.  I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good, even in seasons of not-so-good.

I really, really, really just love any excuse for an expression to be grateful.  Praise God.

Prayer Time: God, I pray that you would remind me to have a heart of constant thankfulness.  Teach me to count my blessings and not my heartaches.  I love you, Jesus.  Thank you for grace.