And to finish the Thanksgiving post: a picture of my too cute niece...who was eating EVERYTHING and was as cute as could be! She gave me my first Isabella initiated smootches...after I gave her a piece of turkey...I guess we know that food makes this kid's life go 'round! Isn't she a cutie!

Thanksgiving went well. I now know if I want my family actually at my wedding on time I will need to tell them it starts AN HOUR before it does...yeah.  The Opryland hotel is AMAZING! You could wander around in there for hours and still not see the whole thing! I want to go back one day...here is a family photo...I now know where I got my "cheerleading face" from, take a gander at my dad...he he he. I swear there are cheerleading pictures out there of me some where where I have the EXACT same face...

AND YES, I NOW think it is OK to have Christmas decorations up...they do a great job decorating this massive hotel for Christmas...I thought this tree was pretty...

And finally, my niece has CRAAAAZY, I mean can not help but laugh out loud when you see it crazy, bed head! It will make this Thanksgiving memorable for sure...That, and some good quality time with my big sis. I am glad God brought me back here live after coming home from India...I would NEVER have imagined He would do such a thing, but it has been a blessing to get to spend time with my siblings again...to have the opportunity to get to know them more...to work on our relationships with one another. Thanks God...I look forward to the upcoming months...

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What am I thankful for? Many things, but today I am most thankful for this:

Therefore, He (Jesus) had to be made like his brethren(humans) in all things, that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 2:17-18.

How awesome that my high priest, Jesus, is sitting up at the right hand of God watching me walk through this life. He is there to share a smile, and I think very possibly a high five, with God when I understand and get it right, and there to tug on God's sleeve when I don't, telling Him how hard it is to be in this fallen world and talking to Him about my need for mercy and grace. That is the most awesome thing ever...God knew we would need someone who understood...and that is why He gave us Jesus...to understand, to strengthen, and plead for grace and mercy when we need it..which, for me, I need A LOT! Ha ha! But, I love it, I love taking it day by day getting it right sometimes, and sometimes not...I love my life. I love my Jesus for allowing me to have it this way.

I am thankful that Jon in his excitement over reading  these verses yesterday,  reminded me how much God gave me these verses when I was in India to be able to walk differently.  It is a challenge to me in that I have Jesus living inside of me...the giver of all power, strength, love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control...so in that, I have the ability to be just the same...BUT in times when I fall short of the glory of the Lord...I have a perfect High Priest there to administer grace and mercy...faithfully...if THAT is not something to be thankful for...I don't know what is...

Happy Thanksgiving to all! My sis and I are off to the Opryland Hotel to have Thanksgiving Lunch with the fam(it is always interesting)...I am excited to spend time with my sis...and to see the Hotel, I have never been there and hear it is amazing...

I love sitting and listening to Jon play the piano and sing. I love sitting down and praying with him for the people in our lives. I love reading the Bible with him. I love facing the struggles in our lives together and seeing how he is such a better man than I could have imagined through most of those. I love that after our first fight I realized that I love him even more than I did before it took place. I love laughing with him over such goofy things. I love seeing the smile on his face when he enters a room. I love when we say the exact same thing at the exact same time. I love that he prays for me daily. I love that he likes to be close to me. I love that he sends me a text message every morning on his way to work. I love that he helps me to see from God's perspective on days when I am failing to do it on my own. I love that he has a view and understanding of grace and mercy that far surpass my own, and treats others accordingly.  I love that he seeks forgiveness when he is wrong, sometimes from his knees, with tears in his eyes. I love that he wants me to be fully dependent on Christ, first and foremost, and seeks to make sure that happens...there is much more, but I guess I have realized this day that I love this boy more and more each day...God has blessed me more than I could have imagined...and I am thankful.

There is nothing like a sunny fall day spent in the mountains. Jon and I went up to the Big South Fork, where his family is from, and did some hiking and some cave exploring. It was awesome to hike through the crunchy leaves to hit a rocky overlook where we were able to spy the lazy river winding its way through the valley below, and sit in peace, the only sound to be heard being the wind making its way through the trees in the distance. It was a great day...here are some pictures.
Jon and me:

The sun shining down on the river, our view from the rocky overlook:

Jon and I caving in Devil's Den:

Is there a fine line between assumption and discernment?

I pause here to remember fondly my friend mandovi, who has since ceased to post, but who sitting in a cafe in India with me one day put assume to me like this ASS-U-ME.

Yesterday in Church whilst the Pastor was speaking it hit me that what we assume shows us the condition of our hearts. I know the most gentle lady, I think she might just be the most gentle lady on the earth, who could NEVER assume anything bad about anyone. Honestly, I remember being annoyed at her sometimes b/c she NEVER would assume or think anyone had a bad motive, I mean EVER...yesterday I realized it was because my heart was not as pure as hers...and her outlook was totally a lot more postive than mine...
I want to be discerning...I long for that...I want my heart to respond out of pureness and start to assume the positive...God is constantly working and boy am I thankful! I told J last night that this week I am going to work on not assuming bad things...I think, ha ha KNOW, satan likes to play mental games with me...and this week, he is going down for the count baby! Yay for thought/spirit provoking Sunday School!
An update on Jonathan for all of you who want to know...things are just getting better every day... Oh, and I did it, I joined the Church I have been visiting since I got home...

Well, another week has passed at what seems to be warp speed. In that time I have bought a REALLY CHEAP car that I am hoping will last me until I can get a full time job, have been put in the "loser" category by my father, his words not mine, have started working a second part time job while I am waiting on God to provide the right job, and have been greatly humbled by getting mad at someone who "sinned" against someone I really care about to have God gently let me know that only in my "self righteous" state would I get mad at someone for a sin when I am just as guilty of sinning every single day, it just might not be the same sin. Grace lessons...grace lessons...

[EDIT: I do need to clarify that I don't think it is wrong to be angry...b/c God says "in your anger do not sin." I think you all need to understand " Barbara angry" b/c I have realized this week I am not a very "godly angry" person. I have realized this week how poorly I manage my anger, on the occassion that it does surface. I did not handle my anger the way God would want me to this week... It was refusing to let it go and what came out of my mouth during that time of anger that was the sin of which I myself felt convicted of at this moment of realization, kinda ironic I think, ha ha. Anyway...I was mad at this person and appalled at how she DARED act tword someone in my life and I pretty much trash talked her gracelessly (only to my best friend and the person it happend to, in my anger) b/c she did not seek forgiveness from the person I am talking about, after totally trashing him, which I felt was wrong, and I still think is. So,  I was reading in Ephesians 4:29 about unwholesome talk and only letting things come out of my mouth that are edifying...then someone read the verse about "what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart,"  (gulp) and when I COUPLE my anger with letting the words come out of my mouth....that was the moment of sin. So I realize that sometimes it is ok to be mad at the sin but that I should NOT be mad at the sinner. I was harboring bitterness! And boy is that yucky...and the person that was treated harshly and un-justly to make me so mad? So un-humanly graceful!!!...that I could not help I falling to my knees. I really want to be more humble and see sin for what it is and be able to love and bestow grace upon people who mess up, b/c BOY I sure mess up A LOT and wouldn't want anyone to talk about me like I did this lady or be treated how I WANTED to treat this lady the next time I saw her...Don't worry, I think God kept her at bay until He could bring me to my knees! Ha ha. He is always perfect!  Life is all about the journey...and the transformation from the way of this world into His way. Walk on my friends, walk on...and for those of you who have already put words of encouragement here, THANK YOU! You have no idea how much I needed that! I am blessed.]

I am being challenged and God is faithful. I read in Joshua this week where God says He will never leave me or forsake me. THAT was a verse that hit home with me as I reflected on my own dad's less than encouraging words as to my life right now, or since I have become a Christian and followed God for what to do with my life, for that matter.

Children are a gift from God to parents...then why is it that so many parents don't see it?Why is it that the very people that are supposed to love you and teach you about life are the ones who can thoughtlessly utter words that you have to fight to over come, knowing they are not true, just because you choose to live your life different than they do...

A picture from a hike J and I took this week. The beauty God has surrounded me with is amazing...fall has arrived and the leaves are such beautiful colors right now...