As for God, His way is perfect. [adventures of the Texas life]: In everything give thanks:

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. I Thes. 5:18

Yeah, about that. At one point that had been my life theme and almost became as natural as breathing, but lately I've realized that a lot of my frustrations and struggles have been because I've not been grateful. I've gotten overwhelmed & exasperated because I wasn't trusting & I wasn't giving thanks. I've gotten impatient because giving thanks while waiting is hard and I have failed miserably at that recently.

Being grateful for the good things: yes. For everything: not so much.
Grateful for the pain: really?
Grateful for the lingering and unanswered questionings: hah.
Grateful for the bills that need to be paid. ouch.
Grateful for a closed door when you were praying that it would be an open one: just plain hard. Grateful for the student who tries your patience day in and day: not always.

So you see I still have a lot to learn in this whole giving thanks lesson of life. Along with that giving thanks comes trusting that God is good. When we believe (truly) that God is working all things together for good then it's not as hard to give Him thanks in all things. He truly does deserve our thanks & He is the One we must trust at all times if we desire to fully thrive. "We love others best when we love God most." I'd venture to say we trust others better when we trust God the most.

& I'll leave ya'll with the challenge to truly give God thanks. (in everything 😊)

So a lil bit of Novemember News & Pics:

It felt like a traveling kind of month & it's not even over yet.

PA one weekend. Got to celebrate my sister's Birthday & catch up with friends.

NYC that Monday. (Riding in the backseat of a 15 passenger van with 7th grade boys is an adventure in itself with topics ranging from cars, Sept. 11th, & the mark of the beast) I must say it was one of my favorite Honor Roll trips & I had a grand time exploring Ellis & Liberty Island with "my" 3 boys.

The following weekend found me in a car with my traveling friend headed south. Where I was able to catch up with a close friend & suprise my friends/co-workers at Gospel Express.(really good to see them & catch up =) It felt so good to be "home" for a few days. That's the joy of living all over, you have a home many places. Not to mention getting to breathe that fresh mountain air, see the beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway & make memories adventuring through Asheville.