Thankful

I far too infrequently stop to take stock of the many blessings in my life and just be... thankful. I want to do that now. A short (and terribly incomplete) list of things for which I am thankful:

~An apartment, a roof over my head, and a large space where I can comfortable host small and large gatherings
~A team with whom I share this journey in Romania. I am thankful for their love, support, friendship, laughter, personalities. I learn much from each of them
~A great community. Living abroad is much easier when you know 100 people and see them around the city, when you have someone to call to go see a movie or grab a bite to eat. I love the international community here
~A family who loves me. Parents who aren't divorced. An extended family with whom I'm in regular contact and who was actively present in my childhood
~A family of friends in NYC. Though I've been gone for almost 2 years from my home, I still consider NYC and the people there "home" and "family." They are truly a treasure and very close to my heart
~Health
~That my sins are paid for by the death of Jesus Christ. That I can't earn my way to heaven, but I can trust in the work of Jesus to get me there. That I can be in relationship with God and will spend eternity worshipping him in heaven
~Watermelon, "yellow melon"(similar to cantaloupe), strawberries, avocados, nectarines
~Books to read, books to enjoy, books to learn from, books to challenge me, books to take me on new adventures
~My MacBook
~My roommate, sister, and friend Simona. She is a blessing in a thousand different ways, and I literally can't conceive of what I'll do for the next 8 months while she's gone
~Good wine
~My childhood home, full of memories
~The gift of singing, the gift of playing the piano
~Snail mail
~The Bible- the word of God, the Truth, and the only book you could read your entire lifetime and only begin to scratch the surface of its depth
~Random phone calls/text/emails "just to say hi"
~That I have food to eat each day
~Flowers, trees, mountains, rivers, sunshine, rain, snow, clouds, stars, sea, sand, and those indescribable places in nature that take your breath away

Make your own list, reflect on those things for which you are thankful. I find it's all to easy to complain about what I don't have, what I wish I had, and not be thankful for the many many many blessings the Lord has given and lavished upon me. Take sometime time today to be thankful.