Being Grateful

Thanksgiving is my absolutely favorite holiday! I don't know what it is about Thanksgiving that I love so much, I think it has something to do with the nostalgia of the Pilgrims and doing whatever it took to find freedom to worship.

I think my attraction to this holiday is becasue I love to hear about the Pilgrims and how they litterally gave themseleves to the be obediant to God's call and follow him wholeheartldly in faith. 102 passengers crowded in a small boat, navigating thier way through very rough circumstances, sickness, death, is not exactly the way I want to suffer for the Lord, but under their circumstances I guess I would have too. One thing that always strikes me in awe is how no matter the situation, they always gave praise to God. Amazing! One commentator that I have read said that one of the sailors called them "psalm, singing, puke-stockings!" Now that is what I call faith...still having praise in the midst of vomit.

We have encountered a bit of that this week in our family, and in the midst of all of what was going on or what I was cleaning up, I was reminded of the Pilgrims faith and thanksgiving, I changed my tune. At one point when I was knee deep in it thought to myself "I would do this all over again". Strange as it may seem I am okay with staying at home and educating my children. I have never had this much contentment in my work. Trust me, there are more days than not when I question myself, raise the bar on my expectations, or think someone else would be better at what I am doing. I never thought this would become my hearts desire. I have wrestled for a long time why I am not serving Jesus in a third world country. I guess I have looked down on my faith becuase I was not doing something extravagant ( or what seems so in my mind) for the Lord.

Often times I have looked at others and thought their faith was bigger and better than mine because their call seemed so much louder than mine. Or if they don't seem to struggle with the "who is this Jesus question" like I have, I am less than worthy. I am realizing that this must be such a slap in the face to the God of the Universe who has called me to this, and I am wanting to ask Him for a refund or a do-over. This is so completely arrogant of me to think that I would have better control of which way my life should go. Did I loose Jeremiah 29:11 in my Bible??

The Pilgrims weren't looking to be noticed or seen as a somebody, they simply wanted to be free. They wanted to be free to worship, free to praise, free to follow the Lord that they had read and heard about. That is what I want as well, freedom to praise my father for the path that he has put me on. Freedom from the what might have beens, should have beens, or wasnt's.
Also, I want to be free to eat as much pumpkin pie and dressing as well!! Gobble, Gobble.