Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope that you're enjoying time with family and friends this Thanksgiving. Don't eat too much turkey!!

Thanksgiving is so commercialized now that often we forget the real reason why we celebrate it. It's the one day a year where everyone gathers together and celebrates and remembers what they are thankful. On the very first Thanksgiving the Pilgrims remembered this, even though they'd had a long, hard year, and to all appearances, didn't have much to be thankful for. They'd lost family and friends, both on the voyage over and once they'd arrived and begun to settle. They'd had the struggles of trying to adapt to a new place and build a colony. Yet they still found reasons to be thankful. If they found something to be thankful for, and thought it enough of a reason to celebrate, then shouldn't you and I also be able to find something to be thankful for, and celebrate it?

I have experienced so many blessings this year and have so many reasons to be thankful that it would take forever to list them all, so I'm just going to list a few of the things that I am thankful for.

1. Friends-I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends. I honestly don't know what I would do without them. They are always there for me to encourage and help me. I work with some of my best friends, which makes my job more enjoyable. Although they can be pretty goofy at times, that's what makes them so much fun to be around! I'm also thankful that they are Godly friends who encourage me to do right and and encourage me in the things of God.

2. Family-I love my family. My parents have always provided for me, and helped me out when I needed it. They've given me advice and helped me as I've gotten out on my own. My sister is honestly one of my best friends. Although we fought a lot when we were younger, she is someone that I look up to and admire. Sadly, she lives in North Carolina, so I don't get to see her much, but she's still there for me whenever I need her. My brother-in-law is an awesome guy. I couldn't have asked for a better guy for my sister. Although he can be rather geeky at times, he completely fills his role as a brother by teasing me and giving me a hard time.

3. My job-I love my job. I honestly do. I love what I do, and I love (most of) the people that I work with. I have a great supervisor who is also a Christian, and I love working for her. With so many people out of work these days, I am so thankful that I have a job. I don't have to worry about how I'm going to pay my bills, or where my next meal is going to come from. I am blessed to have such a great job.

4. My salvation-I am so thankful that I have a Savior who came and died on the cross so that I could live forever in Heaven with God. I'm thankful that God saved a sinner like me.

5. God's leading in my life-This past year God has done a great work in my life. He took me from a rebellious girl who was questioning God and didn't want anything to do with God or Christianity to a girl who is "all in" for Him and desires to serve Him and please Him with everything I do. In the past few months especially, I have seen God working in me. I mentioned in my last post that I was thinking about going back to college. Well, after much prayer, I have decided to attend Liberty University Online and major in Psychology. I will be starting classes in the Summer of 2012, and am so excited!

Like I said earlier, these are just a few of the things that I am thankful for. There is so much more that I could list. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving?

Decisions

So, I've been thinking about going back to school. Actually, "going" isn't exactly the right term, because I'd be taking classes online, probably through Liberty University. This really came as a surprise to me, as until recently, if anyone asked me if I had any desire to go back to college I would answer them with a very affirmative "no!"

Until recently, I wasn't really sure what I would go back to school for. I didn't know I wanted to do. I love what I currently do (data entry/administrative assistant), so I couldn't think of what I would ever want to go back to school for. However recently God seems to be leading me to go back to school for Psychology, with a focus in either crisis counseling or Christian counseling. That probably comes as a surprise to many of you that know me, as I'm not known for being outgoing or good at talking to people that I don't know. I love people, though, and I love helping people, and if this is truly what God wants for me, then I'm willing to do it.

Several years ago I surrendered to full-time Christian service, doing whatever God wanted me to do. I always assumed that it would come in the form of marrying a pastor, youth pastor, evangelist, or missionary. Now I'm realizing that maybe God has another plan of how to use me. I may still end up marrying someone who is in the ministry, but with a counseling degree God can use me in the ministry in other ways as well. There is a need for Christian counselors, and if this is what God wants me to do, I'll do it.

None of this is set in stone yet, obviously. I still need to do a lot of praying about it. Going back to school is a big decision. Working and going to school at the same time is tough. Last time I did it, I ended up having a lot of health problems. This is not a decision that I'm going to take lightly. It's a big commitment, requiring a lot of time and money.

I will definitely keep y'all update on whatever I decide, once I decide. Until then, I would appreciate your prayers about this decision!

Favorite Friday: Thanksgiving Traditions

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week already? I sure can't! It seems like this year has flown by! In honor of Thanksgiving, I chose it as the topic for this favorite Friday.

Thanksgiving hasn't typically been a big deal in my family, so we don't have many traditions. Because of that, I think the traditions we do have mean even more to me.

1. Our longest-standing Thanksgiving tradition would definitely be the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. For as long as I can remember, my sister and I would sit on the couch and watch it. Dad would often watch it with us. Even now that I'm an adult and have my own place, I still plan on watching it this Thanksgiving. It just wouldn't be the same if I didn't.

2. Christmas at Thanksgiving was a tradition in my family for many years. We would have my dad's side of the family over and celebrate Christmas with them on Thanksgiving Day. It was easier to get them all together at Thanksgiving than during the busy month of December. My Granny and PawPaw would come over early in the day, bringing with them presents for all the grand kids under the age of 18 along with lots of food. Throughout the day my aunts and uncles and their families would arrive, each bringing some food to contribute to the meal. We usually ended up with enough food to feed a small army!
While we waited for everyone to arrive, the men and kids would go down to the basement rec room and play pool, ping pong, and foosball while the women stayed upstairs and got everything ready to eat. Once everything was ready, we'd all gather in the dining room where all the food was laid out buffet style on the table. Dad would pray for the food, then everyone dug in.
Once everyone had finished eating, it was tine to open the presents. Granny would hand out the presents, starting with the youngest and ending with the oldest. We always got an ornament and at least one other thing from her and PawPaw. After all the gifts had been handed out and opened and thank you's had been said, everyone scattered to basement, family room, or living room to play and talk.
Sadly, now all of us "first-generation" grandkids (For the longest time it was just nine cousins and my sister and I, but when I was 8 the "second-generation" started coming along, which is made up of my four younger cousins) are over 18 and everyone's scattered across the country, it's no longer possible to get everyone together, so this tradition has come to an end. It will always hold the most special Thanksgiving memories for me.

3. Last year, with my sister and brother-in-law unable to make it home due to work schedules and my mom having to work, my parents and I started a new tradition of going out to eat for Thanksgiving. Last year we went to Tee Jaye's Country Place and this year we're going to Stacey's Hometyle Buffet. It's nice to not have to worry about making (and cleaning up after) a huge dinner, but still enjoy good food.

4. Another tradition that I started last year is Black Friday shopping. I know technically it's an after-Thanksgiving tradition, but close enough. Last year was the first year I'd ever gone, and I loved it. I was able to get all most of my Christmas shopping done in that one day and I got some really good deals. I plan on going again this year, and I can't wait!

5. The final Thanksgiving tradition is another old one. Sometime during the weekend of Thanksgiving, we always watch Miracle on 34th Street (the 1994 version). It was always the movie that we used to officially kick off the Christmas Season. This is a tradition I hope to continue, even once I get my own family.

Well, that's all of my Thanksgiving traditions. What are some of yours? I'd love to hear about them!

Book Review: Ascent from Darkness by Michael Leehan

This book is the true story of one man's journey from Satanism to Christianity. Michael does not mince words as he describes his involvement in the dark arts. His story will amaze you with how God saved him from a life controlled by Satan & his demons into a life filled with service for God. This book will really open your eyes to the reality of Satan & his demons and their power, but also shows that the power of God is greater.

I had a hard time putting this book down once I started reading it. It gripped me from the very first chapter. Although some of the things that he describes are shocking and disturbing, it didn't stop me from wanting to keep reading it. From the cutting and blood sacrifices to the missions assigned to Michael, this book makes it apparent that Satan is very much present in this world, and will stop at nothing to destroy the people of God.

The thing that amazed me the most was Michael's journey of redemption. God used the mission assigned to Michael by Satan, to kill Pastor Craig Groeschel, to bring Michael to Him. It shows how God controls every circumstance in our lives and really can, and does, use Satan's plans of evil for His good.

This book is not for the faint of heart or for the young Christian. Some of the things that Michael does will a Satanist, such as the cuttings and blood sacrifices, are described in great detail. He also describes instances where he was, heard, or felt spirits in the room with him.

While reading about the reality of the spiritual darkness that is in the world can be rather scary, Michael continually points out and reassures us that God's power is greater. At the end of the book you will look back in awe at God's transforming power. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book at any Christian I know.

Note: The publisher provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze in exchange for an honest review. This is no way influenced my review. Everything contained in the review is my own opinion.