Anyway, I hope you all have had/will have/are having an excellent Thanksgiving meal with loads of friends and family to share it with - I anticipate my version of it on Saturday, when my English church is having Thanksgiving dinner (I'm making mashed potatoes and applesauce! Kudos to Dad, who taught us kids that when life gives you apples that have gone soft/are going bad, make applesauce. Literally.). However, tonight's Thanksgiving Day dinner... well... it was probably the least great (yeah, go ahead and read: worst) Thanksgiving dinner so far... I went to Outback Steakhouse, which was tasty (except for the canned mango chunks... just not quite right), but dinner was kinda soured when I sighted (the hostess thought I was part of the group) my school supervisor and the other foreign teachers already there (they didn't see me)... I had not been invited. *hums* "One is the loneliest number..." Yeah. It was kinda depressing. Thankfully, I was able to Skype video chat with Josi, and she tipped me off to listening to Tampa's Christmas station online and making your own Advent calendar to celebrate the season alllll month long! (I've come up with my 24 things, hopefully there's enough balance that I'll be able to do them at a one-a-day pace, instead of cramming them all into my weekends.
I've still got a hectic schedule, but there's hope, which I'll reveal in a moment... Katrina posted on facebook to give thanks for as many things as you are years old, so I'll give thanks for 23 things, since I've been claiming my Korean age (years since you were born, counting the year you were born... I'll be 24 in January!) quite freely...
So here it is - I'm thankful for/because...
1. My plants are showing signs of producing fruit, including a tiny pea pod growing away. Hurrah! My care has not been in vain!
2. I have internet. Nothing like the internet to not feel quite so far away.
3. I have a warm and dry place to sleep.
4. I have food to eat. (and it IS edible (usually even tasty!), even the occasional tentacle in the lunchtime soup...)
5. I have money to spend.
6. I have warm clothing to wear as the weather cools.
7. God loves me. (Actually, that one could pretty much be #1-23 all by itself, but there's sooo much He's given me!!)
8. My family loves me. (and I love them, too!)
9. Many others love me, including my different church families, the college family, and more!
10. There are a LOT of people praying for me. Thank you.
11. I have money to save.
12. I have a good relationship with my family. God is good.
13. I have 2(!) loving church families here in Korea. God is generous.
14. My Korean is improving.
15. I have a good relationship with my co-teachers. (On second thought, pray for my relationship with my Kindergarten co-teacher... there's recently been some tension there, and I don't really know why, and it bothers me, but I've been trying to not take it personally...)
16. I should get snow this winter. (!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I've missed it. A LOT!)
17. I'm living in Korea. And I still love it!
18. Christmas music. There's nothing like it to make you feel cheery... unless you play it in July... then it's just weird... sort of.
19. I like kimchi. (even when it brings tears to my eyes... IT BURRRNNNNSSSS!!!) This is a good thing, because a. I am served kimchi nearly every day, and b. it's evidently VERY healthy for you... hey, even c. spicy foods are supposed to help you lose weight!
20. I have good friends.
21. I am forgiven.
22. Heaven. It's coming, and I'm going to belong there. Hallelujah!!!!
23. God. He IS that great. and good. and .... well, it would take a little too long to try to put it into words, but most of you know what I'm talking about.
Don't forget to give thanks for your own blessings.
Thaaaanks be to God! He reviveth the thirsty land! (gotta love Elijah!)
Signing off for now,
Miss Chatters.
PS Oh! 24. There's a new foreign teacher coming!!! He'll arrive to teach in January, but now I have hope that my crazy schedule will ease up eventually!
