Thanksgiving Journal

Flexible Flyer Big Adventure Metal Swing Set

One of our family traditions we started this year is keeping a journal with all the ways that God has provided for us. It is so easy to forget what He has done so in order to help us recount our many blessings Joshua came up with this idea of us having a family journal. Our plan is to read it out loud together every year on Thanksgiving day.

Our list has become quite long since our little family was established five years ago. Our goal is to write down as many details from the past that we can remember and then keep up with the future.

Here are just a few blessings from the past and one from today.

• God provided financially through a car accident that in turn paid off our wedding, school debt and the birth of Sydney.
• God provided a job for Joshua so that I could stay home with my sprouts and through that job insurance that paid for the birth of Noah.
• God provided a minivan through a couple in our church who we did not know. They walked up to us at our church picnic and asked us if they could give us their 2001 Honda Odyssey.
  
• God provided for us when Joshua was laid off from his job in the spring of 2008. Within a weeks time rent, a Walmart gift card that was enough to pay for 2 months of groceries and all bills were covered through our Care Group, Church and family until Joshua found another job.
• God provided for all our needs for us to move to MD for 10 months in order to attend the Pastors College and the birth of Lizzy Grace.
  
• And now a new one that will be added to our list today is the swing set that is pictured above. Our dear friends who will remain nameless because they wish it to be, surprised us by ordering a swing set for our backyard. There was no talk between us about this with them until Joshua and I got an email from Walmart telling us when to come and pick it up.
  

God has been faithful to provide for our every need and to surprise us by blessing us with what we thought was a want and even at times dreams that would never be fulfilled. What is "impossible" through our limited perspective is achievable through God's gracious eternal perspective. Our Thanksgiving journal is a daily reminder to us of the gospel. What we deserve is God's wrath for our sins and what we got is saving grace through Jesus Christ.

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" Matthew 7:11