As tomorrow will be a busy day with traveling, visiting with family and, um, eating, it seems that today would be a good time to talk about Thanksgiving.

As always happens when I start to think about what I have to be thankful for, I am overwhelmed with the blessings God has placed in my life. In fact, when I think about where I pictured myself at 33, this is pretty much it. I have an amazing and adoring husband, three beautiful and mostly delightful children, a house in a neighborhood reminiscent of Mayberry, wonderful, tried and true friends, a job that I love and a church that I feel blessed to be a part of. (I think I used to want four kids, but that was before I had any...) I know so many people who are not in the place that they pictured themselves, so I often ask God why my life turned out this way. I'm usually an optimistic person, but there's this little part of me way in the back that wonders when the other shoe is going to fall. I read about people going through the valley of the shadow of death, both literally and figuratively, and I think "That's never happened to me. Will I prove faithful when and if it does?"

I'm currently immersed in the Book of Genesis doing a study on the Patriarchs, and I am learning so much about the relational side of God, His role as a Father. How blessed we are to serve the God Who Sees, El Shaddai, Elohim, Adonai, Yahweh. As I considered this morning why He so often referred to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I think one reason was to remind His children of their rich heritage. He was saying, I was there for them, and I am here for you. They weren't perfect; neither are you. They weren't deserving of my love, and yet I loved them anyway. They were chosen; you are chosen. Learn from your heritage, live in the present, and pass on the truth to your descendants.

He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He's also the God of Jeff, Leigh Ann, Bradley, Bailey and Bryant. Before that, He was the God of Don, Margaret, Karen and Bill (and now Cooper), Gene, Gale, Gena and Marc (and now Carrie Beth). Before that He was the God of John and Velma, Ray and Ruth, Hulon and Modena... the list could go on and on. How amazing to be able to claim the God of Abraham as my own. That is my heritage. That is what's real and eternal. And for that, I am truly thankful.