Thankful

Today Dan had the wonderful opportunity to be the guest "speaker" at the small Korean church in Glenview that we visited a couple weeks back.  We feel so loved every time we visit - I know I raved about them earlier but I just can't get over how welcoming and friendly they all are!  And, apparently we come at all the good weeks because it was someones birthday so they cooked another huge meal that we "had" to stay for.  Rachael and Brian came to support Dan, which was so sweet of them, and they got roped into staying and eating the Korean meal with us.  (Definitely not what they signed up for lol)


It was really fun for me this week to walk with Dan as he prepared for the sermon - I have a whole new respect for pastors because it can be a stressful process!  There is a lot of pressure on pastors these days to say the right thing and be very gifted speakers that are funny, interesting, compassionate, and challenging all in one.  Definitely not easy.  But, this congregation was the perfect congregation for Dan to give his first sermon to! There were probably 25 people packed in this tiny room on the 2nd floor of this church.  He said something that reminded me of a conversation that we had earlier about being thankful.  In Romans 1:21 it says "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened." If we're not honoring God and giving thanks to him, our hearts can be darkened.  That's pretty powerful stuff, and it got me to thinking how I am not a very thankful person. 


The other day my brother and his fiance, Holly, were in the area and Jon brought Holly up to see our apartment because she had never been here.  Jon hadn't seen it in a while, and the second he got here he said something like "Wow this looks like I just stepped into our house at home" because our couch, table,  and China cabinet were all given to us from my parents.  My first reaction was to start saying how we hoped to get a new couch soon, and would like to buy our own table, and our T.V. is so out of date . . . etc. etc. Looking back I couldn't believe how selfish I was- and how I didn't respond with "Yeah, we're really blessed that we have a family that was willing to give us their things so we didn't have to buy all new furniture for our apartment."  It is so easy for me to start making lists of all the new things I want, and not be content with what we have.


So, not only thank you Lord for giving us such a loving family, but thank you mom and dad for the couches that sit SO many people and have hosted so many people, for the china cabinet, buffet table, dining room table, and all the other little ways in which you helped us get started in Chicago.  And, thank you to Dan's parents who have given us both of our T.V.'s, our porch furniture, bedroom set, AND the so many other ways you also helped us get a start in Chicago.  We are so beyond blessed. 


Oh, and Happy October!!!  Have I mentioned how much I love the fall? There is heavy sarcasm in that statement :)  The fall festivities have already begun in the Cinadr apartment . . . unfortunately I didn't realize how much Dan likes candy corn.  That boy and his sweet tooth lol  Happy Sunday :)