a month of {gratitude}

I love the month of November. Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays. My mom makes amazing food and I love hanging out with my family. I usually put my Christmas decorations up the week before Thanksgiving because to me, Christmas decorations sort of represent the whole season from Thanksgiving to Christmas (and I say do what YOU enjoy!).

My favorite part of November is how it really gives me the opportunity to reflect on what I am thankful for. Personally, I don't do my Christmas shopping in November (especially not on Black Friday! Seriously, who came up with spending the entire day fighting crowds and consuming right after the day you are supposed to celebrate what you are thankful for?). I don't like to use November as a season of buying, spending money, and stressing over what to get for people who already have everything they could possibly need! I really like to use it to focus on thankfulness  gratitude, and to prepare my heart for the holiday season and what it is really about. For me, I find after a month focused on how God has blessed me so richly it ia easy to want to bless others all through the month of December!

So, this November here on Life With the Little R's I am going to try to post something I am grateful for everyday! So without further ado...

Day 1:
I am so thankful for the the Bible, God's Word. My very dear friend Crystal was over this morning and we were digging into James 2 together and I felt overwhelmed with how blessed we are to have the very words of God available to us for encouragement, instruction, reproof, and blessing. I take this blessing for granted so often. I am quick when I am having a bad day or a hard time to turn to a friend, the phone, the computer, or another book to find answers or help. But, I don't have to. We are so blessed and privileged to have the Bible. And it is a blessing and a privilege that should not be taken for granted. There are still people in countries all over the world who do not have access to a Bible and only dream about having one of their own. I don't know about you but I have about 10 in my house... So today I am thankful for the Bible!

And if you feel compelled to share the blessing of a Bible with those who don't have access to them check out the amazing ministry of Brother Andrew and find out how you can help those without access to Bibles and the persecuted church.