Reflections at Thanksgiving

As I sit in a coffee shop in my hometown, supposedly studying, my mind is racing with the many thoughts about this past year. As I learned the news today about a friends father unexpectedly passing away, it immediately brought to mind what happened in my life exactly a year ago on the 3rd, my own father's passing. It's so unbelievable to think that it was almost a year ago now that he passed away. Crazy to think about the spiral of events that happened after his death and even just in the past few months. I never expected to have surgery or to move off campus. I never really thought that I would struggle with school as much as I am or that I would actually find more joy from sitting at a desk writing letters than I do writing papers. I know, this is supposed to be happy, supposed to talk about how thankful I am, but in truth there are times I wonder why I am happy, why I give thanks or even continue to believe in God. I know when I look back on my life there are times when I should not have believed in him, when I should have cursed God and died, but I didn't because through out everything, I could always see his hand at work in my life. Even in the darkest of nights when life was so pitch black I couldn't see my own hand in front of my face...I somehow could still feel his loving arms holding me close to his chest. So, as I sit in this coffee shop, "studying", I find myself truly grateful for such a loving God who shows me his many blessings all along the way. Thank you to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit this Thanksgiving for your love, grace, mercy and never ending faithfulness. I am truly blessed.