Giving Thanks

I promised a Thanksgiving picture of the kids. The more you have, the harder it is to get a good one. So this is the best we got this year.

Am promis sa pun o poza cu copiii de Ziua Recunostintei. Cu cat mai multi copii ai, cu atat mai greu este sa faci o poza buna cu ei. Deci doar atat de bine am putut sa fac in anult asta cu trei...

Disclaimer: I said before that I wasn't going to share so much my thoughts on things, but I just have to today.

I must say that this year I am very thankful. I kept hearing a commercial on the radio on my way to work of some businessman wishing everyone the best Thanksgiving celebration ever. And in my mind I kept saying, "There is just no way! Not this year." I knew already that I have so many things for which to be thankful. But at the same time I've been dealing with a very difficult work situation that has left me pretty discouraged. However, it struck me yesterday as I was driving home from work that in these difficult circumstances that my family and I have experienced lately, I have felt more than ever the comforting of the Father. In the very difficult work situation that I just can't run away from, I have felt Jesus' warm embrace. Not that I want hard stuff in my life...but after these past couple months of feeling hopeless to change how things are going (despite all our attempts), I am so grateful to have felt God's hand upon us. And I do now have hope. I know for sure that God is with us. And what better time to come to this realization than now, with the season of Advent upon us. And now I see that this has truly been one of the best and most meaningful Thanksgiving celebrations I've ever had.

Am spus inainte ca nu o sa scriu asa de mult despre gandurile mele, dar ma simt ca trebuie azi.

Trebuie sa spun ca in acest timp vreau sa-I multumesc lui Dumnezeu. Am auzit de multe ori la radio pe drum la munca o reclama cu un om de afacere spunand ca spera ca toti sa aiba cea mai frumoasa sarbatoare de Ziua Recunostintei. Si eu, de cate ori am auzit acest mesaj, m-am gandit, "Nu se poate! Cel putin nu in anul-asta." Stiu ca am multe lucruri pentru care sa-I multumesc lui Dumnezeu. Dar in acelasi timp, am experimentat o situatie foarte grea la munca in ultima vreme si am ramas foarte dezcurajata. Dar ieri cand veneam de la munca, mi-am dat seama ca in toate problemele pe care le-am avut eu si familia mea in ultima vreme, am simtit cel mai mult mana lui Dumnezeu peste noi. Mai ales in problemele mele la munca (de care nu pot sa fug) am simtit imbratisarea calda a lui Isus. Nu este ca vreau sa am numai probleme in viata...dar dupa ultimile trei luni in care ne-am simtit fara speranta si fara putere sa schimbam situatia noastra (chiar daca am incercat de multe ori), ma bucur foarte mult ca am vazut cum lucreaza Dumnezeu. Si acum pot sa spun ca am speranta. Stiu ca Dumnezeu este cu noi. Si nu este un timp mai potrivit decat acum sa-mi dau seama de asta, cand incepe sarbatoarea de Craciun (Advent). Si acum vad ca asta a fost chiar dintre cele mai bune sarbatori de Ziua Recunostintei pe care am avut-o vreo data.