19 & 20 Thanksgivings

#19 - Mentors

Hubby and I had our match meeting yesterday!  No, I'm not talking about eHarmony style but I am talking about our Amachi match meeting.  Now, what is Amachi you may ask?  Amachi Knoxville is an organization that pairs Christian mentors with kids from 3 or 4 to 18 years old who have at least one biological parent that is incarcerated.  As mentors we commit to spending at least 1 hour per week (4 hours a month) with our mentee and to serve as their mentor for one year. 

Hubbs and I were really hoping for a set of siblings so we could pour into one family together.  Finally, after much waiting, we met them yesterday.  I was matched with a 10 year old girl and Hubbs is matched with her 5 year old brother.  We are very excited to start hanging out with these kids and loving on them and their mother.

I'm very thankful that God has equipped us for the opportunity to mentor them and teach them about Christ.  I'm thankful that we are doing it as a couple so we can grow through this process together.  I'm thankful for people who served as mentors in our lives at different points who helped us grow in our faith and our marriage. 

Major mentors for me personally: Mrs. Knight, my 5th grade teacher; Col. Stephenson, my JROTC instructor for 4 years; Elisa Sisterhen and Erin Coomer, Bible Study leaders in Cru at UNC.

I've learned so much from each one and am thankful for their love towards me. 

Who has been a mentor for you?


#20 - Good health

We take this for granted all of the time don't we?  If you got out of bed this morning with little physical effort involved, walked to the kitchen and fed yourself breakfast...you have A LOT to be thankful for. 

I take my good health for granted every day.  But today, while I was with my sweet special needs kids at work, I was struck again with how blessed I am to be in good health.  Don't get me wrong, kids with special needs are a blessing too, I would never say that they weren't.  But, sometimes it's hard to see kids who may never walk on their own, or be able to form words and tell you what they want, or who can't ever tie their own shoes...or feed themselves.  That's tough stuff.  My hope is that they will learn how to do all those things one day but the fact is, it's possible that they won't.  I'm thankful for the sweetness of their faces, even when they're screaming at you for making them go to the potty, or sit in a chair at the lunch table.  And it really makes me thankful for good health.

When have you been struck with how blessed you are to be alive and well?