There Is So Much To Be Thankful For

Thanksgiving Greetings to All of You! 

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving Day! When Thanksgiving roles around, it always seems like a good time to reflect on life and remember what we have been blessed with and to be thankful for it. Thanksgiving Day always includes tons of yummy food, family, friends and simply spending time together enjoying life. This doesn't have to be limited to one day a year, but it is one of my favorite days during the year and it is a reminder to be thankful. It has proved to be true even on the other side of the world away from my family and friends. We are blessed in so many ways that we can only be thankful. Even amongst the trials and problems that we face throughout the year, how can we be anything but thankful. Those who are in America... sure, it has its problems, but you are blessed with freedoms that other countries wish they had. A couple include being able to worship God as you see fit. You are able to carry a Bible and not be persecuted. You have opportunities, which are a reality for you that are only in people's dreams in other parts of the world. Those of you who have gone to college/ in college, count yourself as blessed. There are many people who would love the chance to go to school, but instead they face having to take care of their parents and making money. That is for those who have parents. If you have people who love you that you call family, you are blessed more than words can describe. This is something we can take for granted until they are taken from us or you meet someone who doesn't have family who love them or be their support system. If you have one friend you know you can call in the middle of the night with a problem, you are blessed. If you have more than one, you are truly blessed. Being humans, we can fail each other because we aren't perfect, but there is One that never fails us. If you have a personal relationship with Him, you are one of the most blessed people. There is so much to be thankful for this year. I hope you found some time to sit down and count your blessings as God has bestowed them upon you. 

It was quite a different Thanksgiving than I've had before. It was different, but good. Many memories were made. We had the day off because it was Thanksgiving. It was really nice to have the day off, which meant I got to sleep in past 6:40! :) At 10:30 we went to an orphanage. It was a very somber, yet really good experience. It wasn't just any orphanage. It was an orphanage for handicap children. We took ice cream for Thanksgiving. They were so cute and loved the ice cream! You couldn't help but smile when you saw them holding an ice cream cone and smiling from ear to ear. Being on crutches I didn't get around and talk to the kids as much as I would have liked, but they gave me other opportunities. I was able to talk to some of the teachers there, which was interesting. I was also able to just take it all in and watch. It made me sad to see all of them and imagining what there lives might be like. There was one of the boys who was about 14 in a wheel chair. He was talking to me and he said that he and I were the same. I had crutches and he was in a wheelchair. It made me smile. He said that I should come to their school since I was on crutches. But then it made me sad. Yes, right now he and I are the same. I must use crutches to walk, but I know in a couple of months I won't have to use them any more. I'll be able to walk and function as a "normal" human being. However, he won't. None of them will. They will all be in their wheelchairs or walking on crutches for the rest of their lives. I can't imagine having to rely on people the way I do now for the rest of my life. Then I had to ask myself, "How come I am so blessed?" The accident could have been far worse than it was. I could have been paralyzed. I am thankful that I'm not and that I am healing, but I do know that I will never have the same outlook on life again. When I see someone who must use some sort of device to help them, I will not look at them in the same way.

After seeing the smiles of the children and handing out the ice cream, we headed back to school. As my dad said, "I'm sure Thanksgiving isn't in the top 10 holidays in Thailand." Well, he was right! But there was a restaurant that served the typical yummy Thanksgiving Dinner! For which I am also thankful!! In honor of Thanksgiving, we made Indian and Pilgrim hats to wear to dinner. It was a lot of fun! My art class for elementary school teachers came in handy! (Sangren would be proud... I think! :)) We took photos so you can see them! :)   

DINNER!!! YUMMINESS!!! 

A small child who thought we "interesting." hmmm....

Pilgrim or an Elf, you decide. :P

Miss Erika and Me... All smiles! 

Mom, what do you think of my art skills? :)

Nathansun... I'm not sure where he found the bird for the feathers!

The 3 of us the fourth party's hat didn't get finished... oops! Aren't we cute?

So you can see why the small child found us interesting! :) Now let's look at some photos of some people that pull off the hats better than we did! 

Surachai and Seng Moon... aren't they cute! 

Myula... who's a doll!

I had to put their photos second because they are way cuter!! :)

I figured I should end with a "normal" picture of Erika and me. :)

After dinner, we went and got massages. It was a delightful end to the day. Probably the best massage I've had in Thailand! I woke up sore, which is a good thing, right? 

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their time with family and friends. 

I will be seeing all of you soon. I fly back on March 2nd! It's only a few months away! I can hardly believe it! I'm looking forward to seeing everyone! 

Until next time, sending lots of hugs and love from Thailand.

With a Thankful Heart,

Lainy