Thanksgiving Thoughts

What are you thankful for?
About every Thanksgiving, like many other people I'm sure, I ask myself the question.... "What am I thankful for?" I mean really it is a great question, but the list should be unending. The sad part is that so often I run out of things to write about. Now that isn't to say that I'm not blessed or that there aren't tons of things to be thankful for, but it is to say that, really, I'm not thankful enough. Being thankful should not just be on Thanksgiving, but it should be a lifestyle, a way of living and breathing. I should have a way of thinking that perpetuates thankfulness. I have so much and being thankful really comes down to a choice. Will I choose to be thankful or will I choose to compare myself to those who have more and feel sorry for myself. God taught me that lesson this Thanksgiving. To be honest part of me wanted to feel sorry for myself. Part of me wanted to sulk. Here I was miles away from home, with my family have an amazing time like they always do. They were together, all 65 of them in one pull barn. They were getting ready to enjoy one of the most amazing feast of the year and quite frankly, though I am partial, the cooks of this particular feast have extravagant abilities beyond measure to tingle your taste buds with endless delight. I had called my parents right before they were going to enjoy the festivities. I heard the people in the background and started to feel sad that I couldn't be there for the food, fellowship, football and even snow this Thanksgiving. But God showed me something. He showed me that I am blessed beyond measure. You see, I didn't have enough money to go home, so I was thinking about just spending my Thanksgiving in Pasadena. However, my roommate invited me to spend Thanksgiving with her and her family in the San Jose area, so I took her up on the offer. I had a great time relaxing with her family and enjoying their traditions, fellowship and food. Though it wasn't the same as my families', God showed me yet again how faithful he is to provide for me another family to celebrate with. God taught me to be thankful, thankful, because he always provides. There were so many this thanksgiving who didn't have a warm meal to eat, family to share it with, or even a warm hug to encourage them. I had abundence. I believe we always have a choice, we can either be thankful or we can focus on what we do not have. I choose this day to be thankful. He has been faithful and will continue to be so I choose to be thankful.
So my Thanksgiving was good. The next day on Friday, I got some time to do homework while squeezing in a couple good chick flicks at night! It was great. The next day, Katie, Her Uncle Rich and Aunt Joan along with their daughter Michelle and I took a day trip to San Francisco. It was a blast! I had never been there, let alone tour the city. We had a great time. We hit up pier 39, saw some sea lions, ate at Bubba Gump shrimp Co. , ate some Giradeli's icecream, ate some amazing pizza,(needless to say I wasn't hungry all day) toured some galleries, drove down Lumbard street, and enjoyed an amazing view of the bay, alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge! It was a beautiful day with the sunshine, the freshly decorated squares and the scores of holiday visitors to the city. I saw the actual trolley trains, and though we didn't get a chance to ride them for the sake of time, it was so cool to see how the system actually worked. There was so much to see, but I'm glad I got to experience San Francisco and Rich and Joan were excellent Tour guides! I had a great weekend and feel very well rested for the killer two weeks ahead.
I have a bunch of stuff to do but I know it will be alright. I don't have any exams!! Just really really ridiculously long papers, each of which will be fun, but challenging to right. Oh well, I guess that's why I signed up for graduate school! Anyways... If you think of me and you want to pray for me, I will take all I can get to get me through. In only two short weeks I will be returning home for the holidays and I can't wait. Christmas is right around the corner. Fire up for good food, fun and not to mention good food. Oh wait I said that already! Well thanks again for reading and if you have comments, please shoot me an email or feel free to leave a comment in the box thing or whatever it is. Ok I will write again after the amazing feat of finishing up this quarter!
Happy Holidays!!!