"Oh, give THANKS to the LORD,
for HE IS GOOD!
For His mercy endures forEVER."
-Psalm 118:1
wow. all i can say is wow.
just kidding. we all know that camille never just says one thing... but seriously, while coming up w/ stuff for this post, i was utterly and completely overwhelmed.
there is SO much to be thankful for.
so much.
and yet, isn't it sad how everyone in America
(or, everyone who celebrates "Thanksgiving")
only truly thinks about it 1 day... out of 365.
think about it. it's sad, but its soooo true!
think about it. it's sad, but its soooo true!
...not like i'd know from personal experience or anything... :P
ah, but today is a day of pure thanksgiving.
for we have a God who loves us so much.
His mercy truly does endure forever.
Psalms 118 is one of my favorite Psalms.
this past year has been.... "interesting" (to put it lightly)
and many times, i can honestly say that
i did NOT feel like God was anywhere to be found.
and yet, looking back on the year... i see His hand in every little area
and yet, looking back on the year... i see His hand in every little area
and everything that i saw working itself out for my bad
He truly turned it into His good!!
Sooo... yeah. that being said,
we really have quite the amazing God, wouldn't you agree?? :) :)
::sigh::
Okay... now for my favorite part!
**warning - this could take a while to get through
1) a loving Savior and Lord, Jesus. who is ALWAYS there... even when i don't hear/feel Him :)
2) a wonderful family!
*They are allll soo wonderful that i could rav on and on about them! but as of right now, i'm extremely grateful for one inparticular... Abbz - she's home! i'm soooo thankful for that ((now, just waiting to get home so i can see her in person)). but also so grateful for her amazing testimony. she's such a jewel and i thank God every day for her <3
3) my wonderful Taiwan family (pictured below). it's been a fabulous year (so far) and i'm really grateful for this team. everyone of us complements the others perfectly - God is so cool like that :)
4) my really really sweeet friends back in america! Let's see... there's libby, mel, fahs, soukup, erik, whitney, aprilz, rhirhi, dan, josh, ruthie, emily, tashmahaha... etc, etc,etc ((if you want the full list, check out my fb friends. basically speaks for itself)) - y'all are awesome beyond belief. just sayin... <3
5) drinks!! honestly, i'm sooo grateful for drinks. water - i don't know what i'd do w/o you. bubble milk tea - you are my forever comfort "fooddrink". and carrot+pineapple juice - i love you.
6) being able to come back to Taiwan. i didn't realize how much of camille i'd left over here... being back in Taiwan has truly changed me... for the good!
7) NOT knowing what i'm going to do next year. yes, i'm thankful for that. cuz right now, if i had any clue what i was doing next year, i'd start living for that... instead of cherishing these few/short moments i have here now! i am fully confident that God has AMAZING plans for me next year, much as i have no idea what they are right now - and for that, i am extremely thankful!!
8) being able to run. i truly am thankful that i have two legs that still work amazingly well
(though after all they've been through, they really shouldn't)
and that God has given me the motivation to run! I am so grateful to have a healthy body!
9) pillows... yes. i love pillows and today (especially after only getting 4hrs of sleep last night), i was/AM totally grateful for soft, comfy, fluffy pillows :D
9) pillows... yes. i love pillows and today (especially after only getting 4hrs of sleep last night), i was/AM totally grateful for soft, comfy, fluffy pillows :D
10) skypE! it has been such a blessing being able to talk AND see my friends and family back in the states, even though i'm on the other side of the world! what would i do w/o technology?!?! ;D
11) fruit - especially coconuts and grapes. honest to goodness, i am so grateful that fruit and healthy food is so readily available here. it is SUCH a blessing!
12) hugs. but not the dumb little hugs. like, the legit "omgosh, i've missed you" kind of hugs.
yup, hugs are definitely a favorite of mine :) :)
13) coffee - yes. this one deserves a totally separate number of thanks from the "drinks" ones. if coffee were a boy, i'd marry it. that's basically how much in love w/ it i am!! ;D
14) pictures. i'm not very good w/ words and all that jazz, much as i loooove to ramble on and on about nothing inparticular! so i am extremely grateful that we have a way to capture a moment that's easier than me trying to describe it using 1,000 words
15) music. i love, love, love music. and the older i get the more i realize how much of a blessing it was to take all those years of piano/flute/harp/accordion.... honestly! music is the BEST stress relief in the world. nothing compares to being able to just sit down at the piano and play away your soul in worship and praise to Jesus <3 <3
16) food! honestly, i'm probably the most hungry person on the face of the planet. i eat all the time (also adds to my motivation to keep running...hehehe). but i love food a lot.
17) all of my precious students - seriously, this should've been put like, #3 or #4 on my list. these kids are what i LIVE for (other than Jesus, of course!). i have soo many stories about each child whom i've been able to teach/play with. and i know a lot of them, our friendships will last forEVER. **random story: i'm going to visit one of my students from the first year i was here (first weekend in December). anywho, she was just a little girl when i taught her... and now she's getting ready for her SR. year in Highschool!!! ahhh... i felt so old when she told me this!! >_<
18) Taiwan - it's such a beautiful country. i'd really never heard of it before i came over here for the first time. but since i've been here, the people, the scenery, the food, the heart of Taiwan... this has all become my home-away-from-home. and it's extremely hard for me to explain just how MUCH that means... but perhaps one day you will come over here... and it will capture your heart as it did mine... and then you will see what i mean <3
19) roof access. i know that sounds silly... but i've wanted roof access since the first day i got here. and now i have it. and oh wow, it is a GORGEOUS view from up there... <3
20) hmmm.... i am grateful for grace. and i know that it's easy to say that as a "good little christian girl" and all that jazz. but honestly.... when you go through a crazy year where everything seems like one big black blur... and you come out in tears.... and you end up back in the arms of your loving Savior... you really can truly say that you are even starting to comprehend the TRUE meaning of God's grace. and it really is a beautiful thing <3
Ooookay. so now it's getting late and i plan on getting up
13) coffee - yes. this one deserves a totally separate number of thanks from the "drinks" ones. if coffee were a boy, i'd marry it. that's basically how much in love w/ it i am!! ;D
14) pictures. i'm not very good w/ words and all that jazz, much as i loooove to ramble on and on about nothing inparticular! so i am extremely grateful that we have a way to capture a moment that's easier than me trying to describe it using 1,000 words
15) music. i love, love, love music. and the older i get the more i realize how much of a blessing it was to take all those years of piano/flute/harp/accordion.... honestly! music is the BEST stress relief in the world. nothing compares to being able to just sit down at the piano and play away your soul in worship and praise to Jesus <3 <3
16) food! honestly, i'm probably the most hungry person on the face of the planet. i eat all the time (also adds to my motivation to keep running...hehehe). but i love food a lot.
17) all of my precious students - seriously, this should've been put like, #3 or #4 on my list. these kids are what i LIVE for (other than Jesus, of course!). i have soo many stories about each child whom i've been able to teach/play with. and i know a lot of them, our friendships will last forEVER. **random story: i'm going to visit one of my students from the first year i was here (first weekend in December). anywho, she was just a little girl when i taught her... and now she's getting ready for her SR. year in Highschool!!! ahhh... i felt so old when she told me this!! >_<
18) Taiwan - it's such a beautiful country. i'd really never heard of it before i came over here for the first time. but since i've been here, the people, the scenery, the food, the heart of Taiwan... this has all become my home-away-from-home. and it's extremely hard for me to explain just how MUCH that means... but perhaps one day you will come over here... and it will capture your heart as it did mine... and then you will see what i mean <3
19) roof access. i know that sounds silly... but i've wanted roof access since the first day i got here. and now i have it. and oh wow, it is a GORGEOUS view from up there... <3
20) hmmm.... i am grateful for grace. and i know that it's easy to say that as a "good little christian girl" and all that jazz. but honestly.... when you go through a crazy year where everything seems like one big black blur... and you come out in tears.... and you end up back in the arms of your loving Savior... you really can truly say that you are even starting to comprehend the TRUE meaning of God's grace. and it really is a beautiful thing <3
Ooookay. so now it's getting late and i plan on getting up
for an early morning run tomorrow morning
(fingers crossed and i don't turn off my alarm clock in my sleep like i did this morning :P).
but to y'all who are reading this:
Have a Blessed and Happy Thanksgiving.
~ Love y'all lots <3
~ Love y'all lots <3
I love you!! You know no idea how happy I am to be able to read # 20 after our talk in April...isn't God's love stunning?? I told you so :P (I mean that in the most loving way possible :)
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