It's Thanksgiving Week!!!!!

First let me say that yes Tanna, I'm glad there wasn't a big fire too! My Dad gave me the greatest idea, which I use now, that is to put the pot pies on a sheet pan with tin foil on it. That way, no mess. Thanks Dad! And I clean the oven manually now.

So it has been two weeks since I've posted. I've come in and checked blogs now and then, but I've been adjusting to work, which I love, and Saturday's have become my fix it, clean it up, organize it, go get the groceries day. Oh don't get me wrong, I love it. I spend 5 days a week fixing up apartments for people to move in, so I have a list that I add to during the week, like cleaning up my tools, organizing them, etc.

This Thursday is Thanksgiving and there is really alot to be thankful for this year. I mean hey, I got married this year! And we have had a very happy and blessed time. We've had funny stories like the oven and not so funny stories, like Ginger's dog having cancer. There is a strong emotional attachment to her dog, Sadie was there for Ginger as she stabilized from bipolar. And Sadie is part of the family. I'm not sure how much longer, but she'll be in doggy heaven soon.
We have learned to communicate with each other (we were pretty good at it before) and can express our feelings to each other honestly. Sometimes too honestly on my part, there was a meal recently that I said wasn't very good (it was frozen stir fry from the store). Ginger asked what I thought, I told her, and suddenly it was a failure in being a good wife, not a bad meal! How'd we get there? Okay, I'm not a woman so I don't know how women think, but I do know that I don't want to go there again! Yes, all things you learn in marriage. I do know this, Ginger always told me she wasn't a flower person. Well, for her birthday I got her flowers for the first time. Guess what, she's a flower person.....I have Mom to thank for that one, she suggested strongly that she'd love them.....I guess Mom being a woman and all would know....she was right!
We've had a good birthday weekend, Ginger has been happy and satisfied! Went to Villa Montez last night!

I'm thankful for my new job as well! Ginger and I both are. I didn't realize how much stress my last job was taking on me. I mean wondering if your getting paid, doing work that you would do it differently, etc. I love working with my hands, It's genetic, and I know I have two grandfather's looking down at me smiling, and a father who is proud of his two son's. One didn't stray, the other, the prodigal, is back, and making good use of his talent's now. And now I believe so much in quality. I know where I get it too...

And I'm thankful for my identity in Christ. My identity use to be what everyone else wanted me to be. Oh, I still struggle at times, codependency has been in my life for a long time, but I'm coming into my own. I can honestly say, at 42, I love my life and who I've got in my life. God talks with me each day, shows me His beauty each time I wake up, and throughout the day guides me, corrects me, molds me and shapes me. I'm becoming more vocal at work, talking to people, and I realize that God opens doors. I'm where I need to be, and want to be where He wants me.

And I woke up this morning with God speaking to my heart about being thankful for what I've asked for in the past and didn't get. Think about that a minute. What do you not have that you so wanted, and find out later that thank goodness you didn't get it, that God knew better? I mean it's easy to find things to be thankful for, but how about those prayers that weren't answered that protected you? I've had a few and can think of a few that if they had been answered I wouldn't be sober today. When we put our life in God's hands, when we say here you go God, here are the reins, your the boss of this life, I'll follow, well, He takes that serious. Don't get me wrong, we are not a puppet, we can take back control. But why? When God says no, why would we want to say yes? There is a sacrifice, yes, because you don't get all the shiny things the world has to offer and for the most part distract you from God. But as we save our money we are able to do things, but something we've done is we pray about our purchases. Do you believe God will guide you when you shop? We do.

We got to talking about where we lived at work, some of us rent, others have houses. The one's with houses saying I would never rent, some of the renter's not wanting a house. What about you Paul, I was asked. Funny you should ask, I love my apartment, Ginger does to. It was as if it was made for us. It has history, it has character and it has life. We decorated for Halloween and will for Christmas and she seems to enjoy the love that we put into her. I mean, I have a studio that I just made some changes to that added character. But what it comes down to is that there is a thankfulness and gratefulness there. We walk in, we are home. Get that, home. Not where we are living for a time, not a place just to dwell, home. We make memories here, and I believe the old girl has taken a liking for us. But the most important part is, we invited God here. He dwells here, heck, He was here before we moved in, preparing.

There are lots of things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Our faith, jobs, relationships, home's, etc. I challenge you to take some quiet time this week and thank God, for what you have AND for what you don't. Rest in Him, be content in Him.

And now that my schedule seems to be evening out I hope to blog more. I got on facebook and was able to find my best friend from the ministry I was at, but I've found that blogging is more of what I enjoy. I'll put my pictures on facebook, but my words, well, they are reserved for here. I'm thankful for each of you that read this, I love the fact that my Mom and Dad read it, and I have to give a special thanks to Evan and Tanna, you hold a special place in Ginger and I, and our family's hearts.

And Aaron, a special thanks to you, we made it through some tough years together and if anyone would "go to the wall" with me, you did!

A thankful baa....