Thankful Thursday #2

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Today I want to list a as many of the friends past and present that have meant so much to me. I'm deeply grateful for each one of the names on this list. I could write a whole blog post about each one of these amazing people and the impact that they have had, but for now I'm going to list them.

My Dad

My mom

Sarah Holman 

Michael Holman

Grace Holman

Rebekkah Holman

Mikayla Holman

The Larkin Family 

Debra

Joanna

Mallorie 

Heidi

Keri

Victoria 

Amy

Kay

Lisa

Lory

The Perry Family 

Rosetta

Hannah

DeAnna

Sarah K

Oksana 

Erin

The Orlando sisters

Anna S

Anna T

Faith

Emma

Andrea 

Shelli

Janice

Hannah M

Kim

Vangie

Keri H

Kennedy 

My awesome coworkers

My church family 

My old filmmaking buddies

My hospital volunteer friends

And for the countless people who came into my life for only a moment, but had a tremendous impact. 

For all of these I am so grateful. 

My Dad's Work Legacy

This is my dad. He retires today. 

Even before I was born he was working to support our family. Throughout the years he has always been there working hard, doing whatever was needed to provide for us. 

Through all the ups and downs that his jobs have thrown at him I never can recall a time when he complained. He chose through the years to focus on the good and keep pressing ahead. 

My dad didn't work a glamorous or high playing job, but he did his work diligently. Even when he was unemployed for two years, he worked odd jobs to provide for us. He looks to God as our ultimate provider. He always pointed us back to God. 

I thank God for a father who chose to be faithful in his work. He chose to love his family more than having nice things for himself. 

I love you Dad. I can't wait to see how God is going to use this season of your life for his glory and your good. 

Thank You

          Source 

This week marks one year since my engagement was broken off.

While this is sad for me in a way, I also am extremely grateful. 

As I looked back on last year I remembered how much grace I was shown and how many people surrounded me with love. I thought of the loving God who sheilded me and cared for my broken heart day after day. I thought of the family that loved me and stood with me through the worst. I thought of the friends who supported me and loved on me. I thought of the counselor who turned my eyes back to God. I thought of the friend who reminded me who I am in Christ when I needed to hear it the most. There are too many to count. 

In short God has surrounded me by so much love and grace. I know I don't deserve it. Left to myself I botch things up every time. Controlled by God, I can show His love and grace to those who desperately need it. In Him, there is nothing that I can't do. 

As I look back I see so many people who cared for and supported me. That warms my heart. That makes me so grateful. 

If you have taken the time to encourage me in this year, thank you. Your encouragement has meant more than you know. 

Keep shining!

Waffles and Grace

This morning I had the best of intentions. I was going to make breakfast for my family. I pulled down the waffle maker and started mixing the batter. Then it started smelling like someone was  Burning chocolate in the kitchen. I opened the waffle maker to see that something had been left inside and was now smelling up the whole kitchen. My mom suggested that I stopped using that waffle maker and get the other one. So I did. Then as I was using that waffle maker it stuck to the sides instead of making into waffles. As I was trying to clean up that mess and start over my mom came in and offered to make me some pancakes and to clean up the mess. She knew I had to go to work today and  didn't want me to be late.
Not only that but she made me a pancake in the shape of a bear face. The gesture warmed my heart. It was such a Grace to me. She could have left me to clean up the mess by myself and be late for work, but instead she chose to come in make a great breakfast clean up the mess I had made and show me just how much she cares.
We have all at one time or another received this kind of Grace from God. He comes in and finds us in the middle of making a mess of our lives, our emotions, or our soul. And He gently takes us in His arms and offers to clean up the mess and to make us whole. We can choose how we respond. We can respond by shoving Him away and saying that we can clean it up on our own or we can accept His gracious offer and start to live the life that He designed. It's not easy and it means surrendering your rights to do it your way, but the fruits of doing it God's way are so worth it. Trust Him oh my soul. Trust Him with the mess that you find yourself in. And He will turn it into the greatest evidence of Grace in your life.

Fingerprints

I love it when you can look back and trace God's hand. The times when I can see His fingerprints. His hands at work.  Sometimes they are stained from the blood of battle or outlined by cooling water of refreshment. But they are always there.
From the perspective of time and through the lense of grace I looked back on last year. It is full of His fingerprints.
Family showing me grace.
God's arms around me.
A friend crying with me.
An unexpected kindness.
A breaking of my idols.
A growing trust in God.
A healing heart.
Don't look back to beat yourself up for the things you can't change. Look back to see the fingerprints of God.