Thanks

November is a month of celebration for us.  I recognize that for us Americans, that's a fairly typical thing to say.  This is the proclaimed month of thankfulness.  Where we make little pilgrim hats we force our kids to wear and grill them to say that they're thankful for their family when asked, instead of the weird Lalaloopsy doll that poops out charms.  (If you know what I'm talking about, I hope you are equally as disturbed as I am that 1. They make such a thing 2. My daughter wants one desperately.)

This is our one year anniversary of God' great stirring in our hearts.  A year ago, we were in debt, we weren't meeting any ends, we were sad, discouraged, burned out, unbelieving that without a miracle things would ever change for us.

A year ago this week I spent my last 34.56 on a Thanksgiving dinner without knowing how I would feed my family the following week.  I had stopped answering my phone to avoid collection calls.  We were locked in this cycle, this view of who were, this idea that this is all there is and we must make the best of it.

As I made preparations this week for dinner tomorrow, my heart was full.  Standing in line at the grocery store, cash in hand, I remembered where we were last year.  We learned so much more than how to better manage our money, our time and our hearts.  We really learned what it means to love and be loved.  By Christ, by his people, within our marriage.

To say I am thankful doesn't do the transformation in our household justice.  But I am.