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!

31 Days of Thankfulness: A Definition

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

Today is Day 5 of the 31 Days challenge. So far, so good. I've been able to have a post every day, and I realize each time I write a blog post how very much I have to be thankful for. You may have noticed that I don't start counting at one every day. Instead, I pick up where I left off the previous day. I thought that it would be neat to do this so that at the end of the month I could look back and see just how much there is to be thankful for.

I realized today that I have yet to give a definition of what thankfulness is. Here I am, counting all that I have to be thankful for, and I haven't even looked at what it means to be thankful. Well, let's remedy that.

Thankful-conscious of benefit received; expressive of thanks; well pleased

Seeing as the definition mentions the words thanks, let's go ahead and look at the definition for that, too.

Thanks-kindly or grateful thoughts; an expression of gratitude

And, since grateful is often used interchangeably with thankful, let's go ahead and look that up as well.

Grateful-appreciative of benefits received; expressing gratitude; affording pleasure or contentment; pleasing by way of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated.

I think that the definition of grateful is the one that best expresses it. "Appreciative of benefits received." After all, isn't that what we're doing when we count what we're thankful for, expressing appreciation for what we've received? I think so.

Looking at these definitions has definitely made me look at thankfulness in a new way, as strange as that may sound. I shouldn't just be listing off things that I have just to list them; they're things that I should be grateful and appreciative of. I need to make sure that during this month I don't just put down something because I need more items to list on here to make it look good. I should be appreciative of and grateful for every single thing that I list here. With that in mind, let's take a look at my list for today.

I'm thankful for...

37. Encouraging words from a friend.

38. Finding a note from a friend left on my desk meant to make me smile.

39. Hugs. (I just love hugs, don't you?)

40. Back rubs that help me relax and help lessen the pain from a migraine.

41. Rainy days that are wonderful for sleeping.

42. Finally getting my appetite back after over a month with no appetite.

43. Making plans with friends for the weekend.

44. Cell phone and unlimited texting.

45. Discovering new Christian artists and bands via facebook.

46. Knowing that God hears and answers our prayers.

What are you thankful for today?

31 Days of Thankfulness: A Gift

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?" ~William A. Ward

I'm thankful for...

27. The ability to write posts ahead of time and schedule them to post at a later date.

28. Overtime at work, which means extra money for me!

29. The beautiful color on the trees as their leaves change color

30. Discovering new music on Facebook

31. Walmart clearance!

32. Caramel apples and apple cider-two of my favorite things about Fall!

33. Hulu, which allows me to watch episodes of my favorite shows that I can't see because I don't have cable...yet.

34. Scheduling a date for my cable installation

35. Getting a text that makes me smile.

36. Encouraging talks with my supervisor at work, and knowing that both she and her mom pray for me every day.

What are you thankful for today?

Choosing Joy...

One of the biggest reasons why I chose to start blogging again is that I was inspired by a blog that I read. I only discovered this blog a couple of months ago, but it quickly became one of my favorites. I found myself clicking over there every day to see if anything new had been posted. The blog is Choosing Joy, and is written by a lady named Sara Frankl. She's an amazing woman who has gone through quite the journey. You see, about 16 years ago she developed Ankylosing Spondylitis, a chronic disease that attacks your joints and causes pain...lots of pain.

Over the years, her disease progressed, and eventually it got to the point where Sara was basically bedridden. Her body had developed allergies to so many things that she couldn't really even go outside. She was confined to her condo. Through it all, she's decided to "Choose Joy." Although she deals with intense pain every single day, she doesn't let it get her down. She chooses instead to have a joyful attitude.

Sara is dying. Just over a month ago, she posted that she would be taking a break for a week or so as her health was getting worse. A week later, one of her close friends, Shannon, posted that Sara would be taking a sabbatical from her blog due to her health. She was doing this in an effort to try and get some of her energy back and get more rest in hopes that her health would improve. A couple of weeks later Shannon was back again. This time she was telling us that Sara's body was shutting down, and that hospice had been called in.

Sara's time on this earth is quickly ending, but she still is focused more on others than herself. In her last post on her blog, she stated that her thoughts were with her mom, her sister, her brother, her nieces and nephews, and her friends. She wanted to be sure that they knew she wasn't scared to go. She wanted them to know that she loved them, and that her thoughts were with them. Even in death, Sara is more concerned about others than herself.

If she crosses your mind, pray for her. She's headed Home. She'll be meeting Jesus very soon. Pray that these last few days and hours won't be too painful. Pray that her passing is quick and peaceful. As much as those who know her, and those of us that feel as if we know her, hate to see her go, we know that she's ready. She'll finally be pain-free, and she'll be reunited with her dad, who passed away a few years ago. I also encourage you to go read her blog. Read through the archives. You'll be humbled and amazed by the strength and faith she has shown throughout her journey here on earth.