Everybody Praise the Lord

In light of Thanksgiving (one of my favorite holidays) I thought this blog would be very appropriate.

1.     I am thankful for the gift of salvation. Without Jesus I am nothing and I have absolutely nothing.

2.     I am thankful for parents – the way they’ve raised me and support me, and for the example they are to me.

3.     I am thankful for my baby sisters, Lydia, Alisan, Jamie – they are my best friends. I can’t imagine doing and walking through life without them (even on their most annoying and obnoxious days).

4.     I am thankful for the rest of my family – Grammie, Grandma Alice, Aunt Betty, Uncle Russell, Justin, Stephanie, Brandon, Aunt Alicia, David, and Ashlie. I am thankful for your love, support, and friendship and the way you care for me.

5.     I am thankful for my best friends. Regardless of whether we’ve been friends since kindergarten or we’re fairly new friends, know that you are special to me and I treasure our friendship.

6.     I am thankful for a church family in Tallowood Baptist Church, which is completely committed to teaching the truth of the gospel and to missions.

7.     I am thankful for the numerous adults and mentors I have in my life. I am thankful for your commitment to Christ and the way it manifests in your life. As a result many of you have shaped and influenced my life in ways you didn’t even know.

8.     I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity to serve Him in another country.

9.     I am thankful that while I am here God has constantly provided for me – financially, emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually.

10. I am thankful for hospitals, doctors, and nurses that figure out what’s wrong with my dad and who take care of him when he is sick. I am thankful for God’s hand of healing on my dad’s body.

11. I am thankful for the Tango app. Seriously, this is my new favorite app. I can text and talk on my phone to people anywhere for FREE as long as I am connected to wifi.

12. I am thankful for food. Even though I am not eating yummy thanksgiving food with my family I am thankful that there is food on my table for me to eat. So many people, including some of my kids don’t get enough to eat on a daily basis.

13. I am thankful for water. It’s such a basic necessity that we all too often take for granted.

14. I am thankful for the opportunity to have received an education from a great university and for the opportunity to continue that education when I return to Texas.

15. I am thankful for my pets. I miss my cats and my dogs (yes, even the two little bratty ones). They’re so great to snuggle with especially my black lab/dalmatian; she’s a lap dog right??

16. I am thankful for my Bible. Being able to have the word of God in my hand, to hold and read is such a treasure and blessing.

17. I am thankful for music. Need I say more?

18. I am thankful for sports. If you know me at all you know that I love sports. I can’t explain it, but I love them and I love my teams. For those of you wondering, yes I got to see Texas A&M beat Alabama while in Honduras!

19. I am thankful for cameras and pictures that capture and preserve memories.

20. I am thankful for all of the kids I babysit for in the US. I love the time I’ve spent with them. And, I love to look back at pictures and videos of us and remember and laugh.

21. I am thankful for the ability to drive. I (for obvious reasons) am not allowed to drive in Honduras and sometimes it makes me crazy, especially when I have to wait for half an hour for a taxi. I’m so blessed to know how to drive and to have a car so I can go wherever I want or need, whenever I want, something I have definitely taken for granted for at home.

22. I am thankful for the beautiful world God created. The view outside my bedroom is absolutely stunning. The mountains – incredible. Good job God, you’re a great artist.

23. I am thankful for shoes and socks that are not falling apart, that I can wear to keep my feet safe and dry. So many of my kids are not that lucky.

24. I am thankful for Buckner International and the work they’re doing in the US and around the world – specifically in Honduras through Buckner Honduras and the staff here.

25. I am thankful for nail polish. I know that sounds silly. But, sometimes its fun for me to sit down and paint my nails with my girls and feel kind of girly.

26. I am thankful for how much fun God has made it to learn and improve on my Spanish speaking. I truly enjoy going to Spanish class three times a week and practicing with my girls and with my students.

27. I am thankful that I have a house that I can call a home.

28. I am thankful that I have a bed to sleep in, here and in Texas. I recently learned that at the orphanage some of the teenage girls don’t have beds to sleep in at night and that breaks my heart.

29. I am thankful for Tallowood and Breakaway podcasts. They’re a little bit of home from afar.

30. I am thankful for the protection of the Buckner staff while living in another country. I know they always have my safety in mind. 

And now for a few birthday shout outs.

Happy birthday to my friend Drew, my cousins Brandon & Justin, and my lovely friend Amber. I hope yall all have great times celebrating your birthdays this week!

Thanks & gig 'em.
Peace, love, and pursue Jesus.

Kellie