The Top Five Things I Am Thankful For in 2011

OK. I know I said that I wasn't going to write a new post (except for the Eating Healthy on a Budget series) until after the first of the year but I got to thinking about my life over this last year and I have so much to be thankful for. Over on Facebook, in November, several of my friends did a post every day about things they were thankful for. I did not participate but I feel compelled to list the top five things I'm thankful for.

Here they are:

1. My redemption in Christ.

2. My family. I have a wonderful, hard working, loving husband who takes care of me and encourages me. I have a beautiful daughter who brings so much joy and laughter to our home. I have the best parents and brother a girl could ask for. God truly blessed me with an awesome extended family and I am beyond thankful that we are all close and look forward to being together.

3. My health. I have worked extremely hard over this past year to become healthier and lose weight. Not only do I feel better, I look better too. I've lost 36 pounds since the above picture was taken at Easter and a 51 pounds total since the beginning of this year.

4. Friends. I don't make friends very easily. Maybe I have some huge personality flaw that turns people off or something. I'm not sure but making friends and maintaining friendships seems to be pretty hard for me. However, this year, the Lord has blessed me with some really great friends. I am so thankful for that. Friends came at the perfect time in my life too. We had been living in Slidell for a little over a year and when things hadn't worked out like we thought they were going to, we decided to try and get out. Our lease was up on our house and we had to move. All the doors that we though were going to be open for us, just slammed in our faces. We were stuck here and I was devastated. In just a short time after we moved into our new apartment and I was really struggling with still being here, friends basically landed in my lap. It was an answer to prayer and just what I needed.

 "A friend loves at all times. A brother is born for adversity." Proverbs 17:17

5. Church family. It only took us a year of living in Louisiana to find a church. I am thankful for the church family that we have at FBC Slidell. We are a part of a great Sunday school class that is always there for each other and is willing to help those in need. I am thankful that I can leave my child in the preschool department and know that she is being taught about Jesus in a way that she can understand but I also recognize that it is mine and Ryan's responsibility ultimately to be sure she is taught about God and what He has done for us.

Truly, my list could go on. There are so many things to be thankful for, like a place to call home, food on the table every day, clothes to wear (even if they are too big sometimes), a vehicle to take me places, etc. So many people in our own country and around the world don't even have some of the basic necessities. When I am tempted to complain or be ungrateful, I am reminded of what I really have and how blessed I truly am.

So, there it is friends. The top five things I am thankful for this year. What are you thankful for???

Peace, Love, and Healthy Living,

Jessica