this year's thanksgiving was extra sweet.
we all happened to have the day off so after many, many years of planning and dreaming - we were able to finally cook our first real thanksgiving dinner (sorta!) we didn't want to be too ambitious so we bought the pre-cooked turkey and ham and focused all our time + energy on the sides. it was amazing. we prepared 11 different side dishes and single-handedly picked our favorite recipes from our favorite cook books and websites.
it was a true thanksgiving feast!
we spent the whole day together - prepping, cooking, washing dishes and watching football.
it was truly a feast for our tummies and our hearts. my heart was so full after this day.
we ended the night with a homemade lattice crust pie + talenti gelato - it was amazing!
the holiday season always provides me the opportunity to reflect on the many blessings in my life and prompts me to get back in the daily practice of giving thanks! this year, I'm learning more and more what it means to have a joy and gratitude that is unwavering and unhindered by changing circumstances. i'm learning that this kind of joy and gratitude is only possible when rooted in the unwavering truth of who God is in His sovereignty over all of life, and in His divine love for us demonstrated most perfectly in Jesus.
to be honest- this has been a year of complaining for me.
isn't it funny how we're so good at finding things we're discontent about?
- I miss living in the OC
- I wish I lived closer to church/work/friends
- I wish my legs were longer
- I wish I could spend more time with eugene
- I wish he wasn't so busy - when will this year end!
- I wish I could spend more time with my friends
- our apartment is so dinky and ghetto!
- downey is ghetto!
- i'm all alone, woe is me
wah wah wah
. . etc, etc, etc.
i'm so ungrateful!
i'm praying that God would cultivate in me a heart that is always abounding in gratefulness - that I would be able to see all of life through the lens of God's love and sovereignty in all things - and that this would empower me to be quick to give thanks for the many evidences of His grace in my life.
so in honor of that - here are a few things i'm grateful for this year!
1. trader joes. the cheap produce, the variety of high-quality/organic produce and goodies!
2. daily reminders + our small little apartment finally starting to feel like "home" (after 1.5 years!)
3. my new found love for watercolor and calligraphy and the joy and delight it brings me. therapy to my soul :)
4. the extra time and energy I have to be able to spend with the college students at church. they are a tremendous source of encouragement and joy for me and i'm so thankful that i have the time, energy, flexibility and stamina to keep up with these young bloodz this year.
5. my parents - both the lee + tseng clan.
i hope to never take for granted what a blessing it is that i have such loving, supportive (and silly!) parents and how through our marriage - our two families have also become one.
6. time alone - being a closet introvert, i secretly really enjoy my alone time. sometimes it gets lonely living farther away from friends and community - but i know that there is a season for all things so i'm learning to enjoy my time alone while i can!
7. opportunities to teach!
teaching has actually grown to be one of my passions and i've been so thankful for the many opportunities i've had to pursue this at work. i've loved being a preceptor for these last few years and i've also started guest lecturing for a local nursing program. i've already lectured once for their pharmacology class this year (hence, the nerdy study guide i made for the students!) and i'm excited for the opportunity to teach about my favorite subject in the whole world in januray (--stroke care!) this will be my 5th time lecturing -- so crazy!
8. lattes - this season of my life will forever be marked by a big, big love for lattes and coffee shops. i usually take any opportunity i have to meet people in said cute coffee shops so that I can get ginormous cups of latte (and of course my drink has to be in a mug!)
9. eugene - i can't really imagine a season in my life that i'll not be thankful for my sweet husband. this year has been hard in many ways - but we're learning a lot of important things together: communicating well, sacrificing things to spend time together and making our marriage a priority. but all in all - God has really deepened our love for each other and helped us to see that our marriage must always be rooted in Christ first. it's been a crazy ride but it's been fun and wonderful.
cheers to another year of giving thanks!
xoxo
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