Being Thankful...A Little Bit Late

You know, I have to admit, I haven’t been being very thankful. It’s been a rough several weeks with cultural adjustment, teaching, team, self – pretty much everything. I’ve done a lot of thinking about all the things I’m not thankful for and all the parts of my life I don’t like right now. It’s so easy to think of those things.

Today I was teaching my students about Thanksgiving, telling them why we celebrate it and encouraging them to think of different things or people they were thankful for. I told them that sometimes when everything in life seems bad, it is good to remember all the things for which we can be thankful. Occasionally when I teach I actually listen to what I’m saying, and today I was convicted. Even though I keep talking about giving thanks, I haven’t been doing it at all. So tonight I decided to sit down and make a list. Sometimes expressing thanks can sound so cliché and cheesy, like a hallmark card, but I decided to share a few things with you anyway.
I’m really thankful for…

*Friends who keep in touch even though I’m far away and who listen to me even though I gripe a lot.
*Chinese friends who have accepted me even though I’m a clueless foreigner.
*Students who love me and make me feel good about myself.
*Students who don’t love me and keep me humble.
*Books in English
* Parents who love me enough to let me go.
*Letters, packages, and e-mails that are always really encouraging!
*Being able to have three sisters and tons of fun memories.
*Skype! Being able to talk to family and friends for free.
*Being healthy enough to come to China.
*Hot water and a heater.
*My time at Asbury.
*Experienced teammates who can answer all my questions.
*Faith not based on feelings.
*Being raised to realize that it's okay to be different (cause in China I sure am).
*Teachers and professors who have been great teachers even when I haven't been a great student.
*Coffee.
*Those who have gone before and can offer strength and hope and encouragement.
*Grandparents who support me.
*Friendships with other teachers who are experiencing the same joys and frustrations and triumphs and difficulties.
*The ability to laugh at things I don’t understand.
*Everlasting love not dependent on my brains or strength or skill or goodness or lack-thereof.