This will be the first, and hopefully the last, holiday season I'll spend without my close friends and family. I cannot believe it's already November, and Christmas is around the corner! Time is certainly moving quickly on this side of the ocean, and every once in a while, I know I just need to step back, and reflect on all of the events from the past year, both positive and negative, and just be thankful to God that I am still alive, healthy, and able-bodied. So, here are 10 things I'm thankful for:
1. My family- I'm not going to lie and say, oh they support me in everything I do blah blah blah---NO. My family is honest, caring, and are my second brain. they also tell me when they think I'm making decisions that ought to be reconsidered. That is what family should do. And, thank you for being such a strong support system from thousands of Miles away. I feel like I never miss a day with you, even if I don't respond to the Kakao Group Chat. I love you all from the bottom of my heart!
1.5 I am thankful for my beautiful niece and nephew/niece that I will have next year. Ahh!! Babies!!!
2. My friends, who pick me up when I'm down, make great personal comedians, and make life that much more enjoyable. Being away from you all makes me realize how valuable you are to me, and I cannot wait to be back with you and spend MORE time with such amazing people as yourselves!
3. This opportunity to experience another culture, learn a new language, and meet new people. my relationship with Korea would be considered "toxic" according to most relationship experts. When it's good, it's rEALLLy good, but when it's bad, I want to buy a ticket for the next steaming locomotive back to sweet 'Murica.
4. This Thanksgiving, I wasn't alone. I got to spend time with some wonderful people, eat good food, and have a piece of home( Theo) with me. Not many people had a formal Thanksgiving dinner here, and I am truly blessed to have been in such a loving and cheerful environment this year--though nothing compares to thanksgiving with the tribe.
5. My accomplishments. I set out to get a Masters Degree this year, and get my personal training certifications, and that happened. I have no one to thank other than God for giving me the patience, and brain power to accomplish them both. I also have never had a passport, travelled outside of the country, or been this far away from my family for this long. I never thought I would be able to do something like this. I've now been to two countries(woohoo) and have managed three months in a completely foreign country.
6. I'm thankful for my job. My current job. Sure, it can be annoying at times, but some people are out of work, and I get to make a decent living doing something that comes very naturally to me.
6.5 I'm thankful to my other boss, Mike Coleman, for so graciously letting me join his team of trainers at FIT. That was the highlight of my summer career-wise, and I look forward to doing that again soon.
7. I'm thankful for my freedom. I will write more on this in a later post, but NOTHING is more liberating then knowing you have the choice, the ability, the resources, to do anything and everything you want to do in life, as an INDIVIDUAL. Priceless.
8. My health. It was on a downward slope when I've arrived in Korea, and without going into much detail, it was difficult to just enjoy my time rather than spend my evenings curled up in my bed. It's getting better, and I'm still able to do what i NEED to do, even though sometimes I can't do what I WANT to do.
9. PODCASTS. Didn't care for them much before this trip. obsessed. This is how I get all of my American news, radio, and comedy. It is keeping me SANE.
10. I just want to thank GOD for keeping me this year. I wake up every day, go about my business and sometimes take for granted the life that I have been given. I have realized I have nothing in this world without HIS grace, and mercy in my life. Even through All The terrible choices I've made, I've somehow been able to see GOD working through it all and I thank him for that.
I love you all and am thankful for everyone from my past, present, and future for molding me into the person I am today:))))
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy (Psalms 107:1, 2 NKJV)
1. My family- I'm not going to lie and say, oh they support me in everything I do blah blah blah---NO. My family is honest, caring, and are my second brain. they also tell me when they think I'm making decisions that ought to be reconsidered. That is what family should do. And, thank you for being such a strong support system from thousands of Miles away. I feel like I never miss a day with you, even if I don't respond to the Kakao Group Chat. I love you all from the bottom of my heart!
1.5 I am thankful for my beautiful niece and nephew/niece that I will have next year. Ahh!! Babies!!!
2. My friends, who pick me up when I'm down, make great personal comedians, and make life that much more enjoyable. Being away from you all makes me realize how valuable you are to me, and I cannot wait to be back with you and spend MORE time with such amazing people as yourselves!
3. This opportunity to experience another culture, learn a new language, and meet new people. my relationship with Korea would be considered "toxic" according to most relationship experts. When it's good, it's rEALLLy good, but when it's bad, I want to buy a ticket for the next steaming locomotive back to sweet 'Murica.
4. This Thanksgiving, I wasn't alone. I got to spend time with some wonderful people, eat good food, and have a piece of home( Theo) with me. Not many people had a formal Thanksgiving dinner here, and I am truly blessed to have been in such a loving and cheerful environment this year--though nothing compares to thanksgiving with the tribe.
5. My accomplishments. I set out to get a Masters Degree this year, and get my personal training certifications, and that happened. I have no one to thank other than God for giving me the patience, and brain power to accomplish them both. I also have never had a passport, travelled outside of the country, or been this far away from my family for this long. I never thought I would be able to do something like this. I've now been to two countries(woohoo) and have managed three months in a completely foreign country.
6. I'm thankful for my job. My current job. Sure, it can be annoying at times, but some people are out of work, and I get to make a decent living doing something that comes very naturally to me.
6.5 I'm thankful to my other boss, Mike Coleman, for so graciously letting me join his team of trainers at FIT. That was the highlight of my summer career-wise, and I look forward to doing that again soon.
7. I'm thankful for my freedom. I will write more on this in a later post, but NOTHING is more liberating then knowing you have the choice, the ability, the resources, to do anything and everything you want to do in life, as an INDIVIDUAL. Priceless.
8. My health. It was on a downward slope when I've arrived in Korea, and without going into much detail, it was difficult to just enjoy my time rather than spend my evenings curled up in my bed. It's getting better, and I'm still able to do what i NEED to do, even though sometimes I can't do what I WANT to do.
9. PODCASTS. Didn't care for them much before this trip. obsessed. This is how I get all of my American news, radio, and comedy. It is keeping me SANE.
10. I just want to thank GOD for keeping me this year. I wake up every day, go about my business and sometimes take for granted the life that I have been given. I have realized I have nothing in this world without HIS grace, and mercy in my life. Even through All The terrible choices I've made, I've somehow been able to see GOD working through it all and I thank him for that.
I love you all and am thankful for everyone from my past, present, and future for molding me into the person I am today:))))
Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy (Psalms 107:1, 2 NKJV)