I am blessed

Many of you sent the month of November writing things each day you are thankful for, which is a powerful and good practice. If done right, it should keep you focused on the good things God has given you and not on the hassles of life. I didn't take the time across those days to do that, but I thought, this would be a good time and good place to declare that I am blessed. God has looked after me in so many ways.

First and foremost, before light was even spoken into existence, God began planning the world that was to be and in that plan he thought of me. He knew me before anyone else and decided, for whatever reason, that I would spend eternity with him in heaven. Then, with my life just eight years into being, he called me to be his, to start my life with his spirit inside me. I had no idea what that meant, or what I should do with that, at that age, but God was already working. He was setting me apart, even though I was unworthy, in fact I continue to be unworthy. Blessing is not about what you deserve, though.

Second, he plotted a life that would lead me to get a high school job at Arby's where I would be trained by a woman, who liked books with Fabio on them and Star Trek. She would become my friend, one of the people I really kept in contact with as I spent time in college, one of the people I would talk to until the sun was ready to come back up. Ultimately, as I was considering getting a place to live, she rented an apartment with me, became my roommate and my best friend. God was weaving our lives together, even though it wasn't obvious to me. We took some missteps and made mistakes, but in spite of me, God was still striving to bless me. Not long after I finished college, we were married. The perfect woman for me. She's just nerdy enough, wanting to see Sci Fi movies in the theatre, believing we should own all the Superhero movies, considering what comic books she might like to read and playing World of Warcraft with me in the evening, but drawing the line letting me now when I have left the playing field most people will understand. She is compassionate, letting me know when I need to help because I am oblivious, and is clearly the reason couples deal with us. God blesses me everyday with her. I don't deserve it.

Then, just 11 months into our marriage, God blessed us with twins. Yes, it is hard having twin babies. Yes, I have often described those first three months as grey. In everyday, though, they have been a blessing as well. Three years later, we received Shelby and three years after that, we received Sienna. At which point, we suggested God might bless us in other ways. He has, using these girls he brought us. He developed in Savannah a serving spirit, which often has her hoping up to do something, as he sister feigning deafness, and a love of nerdy thing, which makes her incredibly fun to talk to. He developed in Sierra a natural beauty and charisma, which doesn't cause her to obsess or take herself too seriously, making her fun to be around. He developed in Shelby a brilliance, which has her drawing a platypus, which was so good I initially asked her how she traced it, and answering math and spelling questions, which shock you that she knows the answer. He is developing in Sienna an inquisitiveness humor, which make you want to see things the way she sees them because it makes the world so amusing; we repeat the things she says just to breathing that childlike wonder. Each of these blessing are so wonderful, and I get them everyday. God is so good to me.

Twelve years ago, or so, we had twin and house in Kalamazoo. I had the only income in our house, and I lost my job. It's a little more complex than that, but it felt like God had taken his hand off of us. We had not been serious about church, about Godly things and we were being punished. This could not have been further from the truth. Yes, we had weeks of cheap food, Raman noodles and cases of eggs with ketchup. I slept in a house with no power,because we couldn't pay the bill. The problem was, God had something better, and I wouldn't move otherwise. He granted me a job, with the help of my Mother-in-law back on the other side of the state. Blessing. It would bring us close to our family. Blessing. It would being us back to church and church family, which has been so much a part of my life I can't imagine my life with out it. Blessing. It would help us to grow as Christians and believers, giving real and deepening meaning to life. Blessing. With every aspect of my life, God has been seeking to blessing and to be honest, I have no idea why.

I have a fantastically blessed life, not because of anything I have done, but because of the the things God has poured over me. I have reason to celebrate Thanksgiving, everyday.