The Simple Life at Home

Oops, now see I was so excited about our upcoming drive through Saudi Arabia that I went ahead and posted about it first, forgetting that it's Thankful Thursday. So today will be a "double post" day!

I'm going to be totally honest and say that I'm not in one of those places today where I'm in a happy mood. I mean, I'm ok, but overwhelmed with trying to do things for our trip, 110 degree hot and windy weather, a sandstorm that keeps finding cracks into my home creating general ickiness, and missing home. But I'm going to be faithful to God's call to give praises at all times.

I'm thankful that I'm saved. God redeemed me even though there was no worth in me. Nothing I did brought me to that state of salvation, but it was all through His reaching out and grabbing me.

I'm thankful that I'm His. God has taken a girl who was lost and given her a sense of identity - that of a princess. I know I'm His and He is always there for me. Before I was saved, I was always trying to fit in everywhere. I was one of those kids who was desparate for approval and would go along with what everyone else was doing just to have friends. Now I know that I have His approval and love and I don't need to worry about other people. I still struggle with this from time to time, but when I sit back and remember who I am, that goes away.

I'm thankful that God is wiser than me. I often am not able to see what He's doing and feel hurt and confused by the way events play out. But as I look back over the course of my life, I see His hand in things that, at the time, seemed terrible. But while they seemed bad at the time, God took those things and used them for His glory and my growth.

I'm thankful that I have His word. Even though I fail to take full advantage of it, the Word of God is such a blessing in the life of a believer. It's one of the best ways to get to know God - what His heart is like and what He wants from us.

I'm thankful that I know that God is never going to give up on me. I fail so often, in so many arenas, that I know that if I were God, I would have walked away a long time ago. But, like the patient parent that He is, He just picks me up, dusts me off and encourages me to try again. With my whole heart I want to please Him, but the honest reality is that I often make choices which I know sadden Him. But I know that it is my heart that He looks at. Like David, I often mess up, but I'm still after God's heart.

So that's it for me today. I am blessed to have had you visit. May you be blessed too as you read other women's words about what they are thankful for. Be sure to visit Spiritually Unequal Marriage to see more Thankful Thursday posts. Thanks for popping in!

Wow, it's been a long time since I participated in Thankful Thursday.  Not because I have not had much to be thankful, but because life has just been busy and has slowed down my blogging efforts.  So the first thing that I'm thankful for is that life has slowed down enough now that I have time to start blogging more regularly!

(Ok, some of you may have gotten just a blank post if you are using a feed reader. Sorry! I was doing this early in the morning, still half asleep and I hit enter too early!!)

I have so much to be thankful for today. Though this has been a tough week, I still know Who is in control. It's been emotionally draining, but I have a Comforter. It's been scary, but I have a Protector. It's been sad, but I have a Healer.

I'm not at liberty to say all that's going on. We are fine as a family. There's no illness or anything like that. But many of our friends have had a traumatic shock this week and it's hurt us as well. I had posted about it late last night, but in the harsh light of day it seemed to be a bad idea. The post has since been deleted as I'm afraid it may have already compromised us, so I apologize for the vagueness of all this. There were a few glitches with my Blogger account that kind of freaked me out and I'm still not sure what happened.

But the thing is, through all the unsettling stuff that's been going on, I'm growing. I'm learning. I'm going deeper. And I know, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that one way or another, I'll be taken care of. For that I am truly grateful.

Happy Thankful Thursday!!

I have much to be thankful for this week. It's been a tiring week, both physically and emotionally, but still I can see God's hand on my life. It's so reassuring to know that He is always there with me, even when I feel like I am too tired or distracted to give Him the attention He deserves.

Physically, I must say how thankful I am for healing. After my bout with "tracheitis" over the past couple of weeks, I am thankful to be free of pain when I breathe. I'm still coughing, but not nearly as frequently and without the immense pain I had before. I'm still struggling with fatigue, but I'm thankful that it doesn't generally hit until later in the evening. It's great to be able to go about my day with energy and stamina again.

Emotionally, the struggles at work seem to be easing up. I did end up meeting with the other ladies in the office as well as the principal and asst. principal to try to work out our problems. It was uncomfortable, but I prayed alot beforehand and really feel as though God guided my word choice and helped me get through it without losing my temper or crying (if you don't know me in real life, you may not be aware that I cry at the drop of a hat. I cry at the Waltons, for goodness' sake!!). Since the meeting, things have slowly thawed out between the woman I was having problems with. It's not that great, but it's not horrible either.

I'm continuing to pray for the situation between her and the other woman. There seem to be deeper issues there which were not resolved during the meeting. The other woman continually comes to me with her frustrations and I'm really trying to be a wise counsel to her. I am working hard not just to commiserate with her about the woman, but instead to work towards reconciliation.

So I'm thankful that God has been gracious enough to give me wisdom. I'm not claiming to be perfect, but He has blessed me with enough wisdom to let me know that it is clearly not of my own doing!!! As I continue to grow in my faith, it's a joy to see the results of that played out in the day-to-day situations of my life.

Proverbs 8: 1-21

The Blessings of Wisdom

Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?

On the heights beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand;

beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:

“To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence;

O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is

right, for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.

Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold,

for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion. The fear of the Lord is

hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.

I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.

By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just;

by me princes rule and nobles, all who govern justly.

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.

Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.

I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice,

granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to pop on over to Women Taking a Stand.

Today I'm thankful for the sacrifice that Christ made for me on the cross.

24 years ago on Easter Sunday, I finally understood what that sacrifice meant. Even though I had been attending church for several years, I had not truly understood what that meant. Church was more of a social event for me. My life outside of church went pretty much the same as it always did, with the life (and death) of Christ having no real impact on me.

Then, on a bright and sunny Easter morning in the mountains of Arizona, I got it. I realized that His sacrifice had been so tremendous and that He deserved my very best. He deserved all of me, not just that part that I had set aside for Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. I begged forgiveness and committed to live my life for Him.

The change was instantaneous, and yet has taken all these years. It's still not complete. I still find myself coming to the cross daily to lay down and be changed. I fail miserably every day and yet He never gives up on me. This process of sanctification is a long and challenging one. While we often hear stories of people who accept Christ and are instantly changed, there are those of us who struggle daily with renouncing our sinful nature.

I think I can say that the reason for that is that the closer we come to Christ, the more obvious our sins become. Yes, it's easy to see those big things that we might have been doing before we were Christians. When compared to those things, the "smaller" things (by the worlds standards) seem to be no big deal. But the closer you come to Christ, the more you realize that often those things are a bigger deal than the major "sins" the world considers a bigger deal. Pride, envy, lust, anger - these are all things that the world may make jokes about, but in reality they area bigger problem in the life of a Christian than many of the "big sins." Those big sins are usually just symptoms of these internal, heart attitudes which Christ found so offensive.

Ok, I'm getting off track. My point is that I'm so very thankful that Christ has an unending well of love and mercy for me. As I learn every day, that well is deeper and wider than I could ever imagine.

I just did a post yesterday outlining all the happy things that happened to me on Tuesday. I have to say, life is at a good place right now. It feels great to be able to say that.

One year ago next week, my children and I left everything and everyone we knew and loved and set out to join Hubby in our new life here in Doha, Qatar. It's been a year of tumultuous change. We have had to adjust to a new culture, a new climate, and a new home. We've gone from Hubby working long hours 5 days a week to working somewhat shorter hours 6 days a week. I've had to learn the currency and I'm still confused as to how much money I spend each week on groceries! My much-loved 8 week menu plan has been tossed out the window, as it's virtually impossible here to predict what items will be in the stores on any given day.

I've gone from a committed homeschooling stay-at-home mom, to being a mom with two kids enrolled in school who is actively seeking to rejoin the workforce. After 14 years of being at home, that's no small matter. I'm nervous and excited and scared all rolled up into a bundle of jangled nerves.

I've lost access to Target (:::sob:::), the library, rational grocery stores, decent customer service, and honestly, some of my sanity.

We've had to give up our friendships and then try to build new ones here in a land where most people come and go within 4-5 years at most. Many of the friends we've made within the last year have already moved during the course of our year here or will be leaving this summer.

And yet, now one year later, we have survived. I don't know that I would say we have thrived, but we haven't withered on the vine either. And for that, I give all the glory to God. He has helped me learn to be content in whatever circumstance I find myself. He has been teaching me patience, a trait which I am sadly lacking in and have been praying for as long as I can remember. He has comforted me when I was desolate. He has been the one I rejoice with when I'm happy.

He is my rock. I love him and am so grateful for the fact that he led me here to this wilderness to use it as a time of teaching and growth in my life. Everything that he removed from my life has been restored in some form or fashion. Well, except Target. But I can live with that!

So today I am grateful for a God who will do whatever he needs to do to make me more like him.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Lynn at Spiritually Unequal Marriage.

Well I have a lot to be thankful for this week. Some things that I thought were bad that turned out to be not so bad, especially.

* I'm thankful that I'm more hopeful for our little dog, Snow. She injured herself on Tuesday night and was unable to walk or to use her hind legs for the most part. After a trip to the vet yesterday morning, I was devastated. According to him, her prognosis was not good and she might need to be put down. He told us to give her three weeks to see how she did and if she hadn't recovered by then we'd need to consider euthanasia. After spending the day crying off and on (we've had her 9 years), I did some research on the internet and found it's not as grim as he made it out to be. Yes, it will be a slow recovery, but 4/5 dogs do recover. Instead of the 3 weeks he gave her, we should allow for 6-12 weeks for healing. I went to bed feeling so relieved!

* I'm thankful for the internet. While there is plenty out there that ranges from harmful to just plain stupid and wrong, it may have just saved my dog's life. Not to mention all the wonderful helps I find in my attempt to be a great wife and mom - parenting help, delicious recipes, organizational tips, and wonderful blogs to find encouragement and laughter (see sidebar).

* I'm thankful that now I understand what's going on in my kids' math classes. While I know my kids and know that they are not math savants, I've been shocked to see how poorly they've been doing. During a parent meeting this morning, I learned that the school's educational philosophy is one I had never heard of. They have been "inquiry-based" rather than "directed learning based." Which basically means the teachers don't directly teach the kids how to do the work, but rather let them figure it out for themselves. The problem is so bad that they are having to let the entire high school re-take their semester exams (following intense math labs to get them all caught up). Hopefully the school has figured out that it's not working and changes will be made. I'm just glad to know it's not just my kids!!!

* I'm thankful for the amazing weather we continue to have. Beautiful blue skies, temps in the high 70's to low 80's. Soon enough I'll be complaining, but it's beautiful right now!

* I'm thankful for God teaching me new things all the time. Right now He's working on teaching me not to be led by my emotions. To stop and think things through and seek out truth, rather than feeling. It's a lesson I really need to learn and learn well.

* I'm thankful for my husband. Tomorrow is our 16th wedding anniversary. While there have definitely been ups and downs in our marriage, I know that we are truly meant to be together. He's a wonderful, godly man who takes care of our family beyond measure. I love him and I'm proud to be his wife.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Grace Alone.

To be honest, I'm not feeling particularly grateful today. A brown haze has settled over our town, thanks to a violent sandstorm. It seems to have permeated my spirit as well, making me feel listless and discontented. And yet, I've been learning lately that my feelings aren't to be trusted.

Unlike much of the world which tells us to "follow our heart," I'm learning that we actually need to, instead, "lead" our hearts. During my study of the book of Esther (the Beth Moore one), it's become clear to me that people who follow their emotions without question often end up regretting both their decisions and their actions.

The only thing that can really be trusted is the Word of God. His promises are true. Satan is a master of lies and manipulation and his favorite target is the mind of a Christian. He loves to plant seeds of falsehood and fear. But I have determined that today I'm going to call him by name and refuse to listen to that which would steal my joy.

In reality, I do have much to be thankful for. Here's just a few of the things:

• I'm thankful for my husband. He is wise and godly, compassionate and tender. I'm so grateful for our marriage.
• I'm thankful for my children. Though at times I feel like they make me nuts, they are actually very good kids with tender hearts and are very loving.
• I'm thankful for my extended family. They are supportive and encouraging.
• I'm thankful my husband has a job in this turbulent economy.
• I'm thankful for our church which has been a source of encouragement during our transition here in Doha. They have provided wonderful tools for growth in my relationship with God during a difficult year.
• I'm thankful for friends who make me laugh, who stay in touch and who listen when I need to vent.
• I'm thankful that we are in Doha. While it's certainly not a perfect place to live, it's much better than I imagined it to be and it's allowing us some wonderful opportunities.

God is good. That's true. I love Him. That's true too. But what's even more true is He loves me. And that's all I need to know.

Be sure to visit Grace Alone for more Thankful Thursday posts.

Well there have been some big changes in our home since my last Thankful Thursday post. For the first time ever, my children are enrolled in a traditional school setting. Also, I've begun to serve on the Women's Ministry Leadership Team for our church. As well, Emily is preparing to go on an outreach trip to Jordan in April over spring break. These things have kept us hopping.

I have a lot to be thankful for. Here's a few things that are on my mind today.

• I'm thankful that my children both got a place in the school of our choice. Schools here generally tend to be packed and it's not uncommon to have children at home for months while you wait for a place to become available for them. It was totally God's hand at work.
• I'm thankful that Emily seems to be thriving. She's coming home every day happy and bubbling about all that happened that day. (On a side note, Daniel is NOT adjusting so well, so prayers for him would be appreciated. He's just finding the transition from the laidback style of homeschooling to the structure of a traditional school setting frustrating. Yesterday he was complaining that he had to keep his head up ALL day and his neck was sore because there were no headrests. ROFL!!!! He's used to chilling on the couch while he does his schoolwork.)
• I'm thankful for the group of women in my Esther study's small group. They are an amazing group of women with wonderful insight whom I've really gotten to enjoy getting to know.
• I'm thankful for my husband and the care he takes of me. He's told me that I need to place myself above other priorities for now and not to worry about the house and all that it demands, but to make sure that I get to the gym regularly, go the doctor for a long overdue check-up and just tend to myself. Sometimes it's easy to get bogged down in all we have to do as stay-at-home moms, but it's good to be given the blessing to be a little selfish sometimes. (Incidentally, this will be the topic of my next No Regrets post, which is a couple of days overdue as I've just been overwhelmed with homework and not feeling well to boot. I'll get it up later today.)
• I'm thankful for the amazing weather we've been having here in Doha. Cool in the evenings and highs of about 75. Perfect!!! (Must remember this in July when it's 120 degrees!!!)
• I'm thankful for God having His hand over every aspect of my life. Through this study of Esther, I'm realizing more and more how nothing is coincidence and it's all part of His plan.

Ok, that's it for today. I'm off to the gym to work out and then to the grocery store and home to laundry and cleaning. I want to give big kudos to those non-homeschooling moms out there who do homework with their kids every night. Trust me, this is MUCH harder than homeschooling!! At least when you are the teacher you know what the assignment is!!

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to stop by Grace Alone!

Well, there are big doings around here this week! I got the call this morning that our children have been accepted at The American School of Doha and can begin at the start of the second semester in a week and a half!! So I have much to be thankful for.

• I'm so very relieved and thankful that they obviously passed the entrance exams. Unfortunately, the school didn't really give me any results to look at, but the very fact that they were accepted validates all that I've done with them.
• I'm thankful for bloggy friends who reminded me that there is so much more to raising children than academic teaching. I know that, I really do. But sometimes I just lose sight of that when I'm faced with someone who is strictly looking at their academic work.
• I'm thankful that I know that somehow God is going to provide the necessary finances to make it happen. It came out to be more than Hubby had been expecting (I think he assumed some of the annual fees would be halved, since they are enrolling at the half-way point of the year), so we are scrambling to make it work.
• I'm thankful to have the assurance that I do that this is the right thing for my children right now. I'm a mom who planned on homeschooling all the way through high school, so this has been a big adjustment for me. A BIG adjustment. But God has given me peace (well, most of the time I'm at peace with the decision!!! LOL!!) with this step and I know that He will a) provide the finances, b) protect my children, c) bless my children and d) enrich my children's lives.
• I'm thankful that this school is WAY better than anything we would have ever had access to in the US. The facilities are amazing, the course offerings are great, the extracurricular activities are phenomenal. I think that they are going to be very happy there.

In other news, here are some more things to be thankful for:

• My mom underwent an angiogram this past week and came through it with flying colors. She had a heart attack several years ago and has stents in her heart, so we are grateful everything is A-OK.
• I started a study of the book of Esther (thank you, Beth Moore!) yesterday. I'm facilitiating a small group and they are all such nice women. I look forward to getting to know them as we study this fascinating woman.
• I'm thankful that I saw a promo this morning on our satellite network that they will "soon" be airing the 5th season of...LOST!!!! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!!
• I am feeling more and more at home here. That in, an of itself, is huge.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Lori's Reflections, who is hosting Thankful Thursday for the next couple of weeks.

I'm so glad the past week or so is over!! It's been horrendous. Sorry not to have been around much here, but I guess I hate to dwell on the negative or pretend everything is ok when it's not. It's just been one thing after another, but things seem to be picking up in the last couple of days, so we are moving forward - with thankfulness!!

• I'm thankful that our ladies' Bible study is starting up again!! This semester I'll be facilitating a group of ladies through Beth Moore's study on the book of Esther. I'm really looking forward to it!!
• I'm thankful that Emily's wrist wasn't broken the other night. While all four of us were goofing around and being silly, she injured her wrist and was in such pain we honestly thought it was broken. Fortunately, after a late night trip to the ER with Hubby, it turned out to be just a bad sprain that is already feeling much better.
• I'm thankful that the cleaning person we had has been arrested and will be deported back to his home country. That sounds horrible, but he stole from us and left all of us feeling very violated and with a total lack of trust. Now, knowing that he will not be coming around again, we all feel a little more at ease.
• I'm thankful that God is patient with me even when I am not patient with myself. Too often I spend time kicking myself and beating myself up over my faults. God just picks me up, brushes off the dust and says, "Let's start again." His grace overwhelms me.
• I'm thankful that our weather here has been magnificent! Highs in the low 70's, lows in the mid 50's. Just perfect and bright and sunny!
• I'm thankful that our church's youth group doesn't talk down to the kids. They are treated as young adults, with the capability of understanding more than a 5 minute short devotional in "teen-speak." They've studied some deep things and have planned an amazing outreach trip to Jordan for the spring.
• I'm thankful for my husband, who is wise and caring.

God has given me so many blessings. It's easy when things are going bad (in sets of 10's, instead of 3's!!!) to overlook them. I've tried to keep them in sight throughout all the "stuff" this week, but I could have done a better job. Hopefully I'll learn from this experience and next time around, I'll be better prepared.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, click on the button above or go here!

Happy New Year!!! I hope you have a happy, safe, blessed and wonderful 2009!!

Before we move any further into the New Year, I want to stop and be thankful for all that God did for me in 2008. Here's just a smidgen of it - I couldn't possibly list it all!

• God, in His infinite wisdom, moved us to Qatar. Now, moving to the Middle East was something my husband's family had encouraged us to consider since, oh, the day we married! And I was adamantly against it. But somehow, when the subject came up this time, I was ok with it. And what a blessing that has turned out to be. We are in a stable job market, with enough income to pay our bills. Just after my husband left for Qatar, his company in Miami laid off many people and those they did keep took a major salary cut. It has turned out to be a blessing for us.
• Through this move, God has taught me some major lessons. Being lonely for many months after moving here, I learned to rely on Him. I got more deeply involved in reading my Bible and in spending time with Him. I learned to be flexible and to laugh at what would have driven me to the point of rage before.
• God led us to a great church where the Bible is taught and where we are slowly but surely beginning to build bonds.
• I am thankful for the growth I have seen in my children throughout the year. Both have stepped up to the plate when asked to help and I have seen a new maturity in them.
• I'm thankful for my husband. He is wise and faithful. I'm thankful to the Lord for leading us together in a miraculous way. I'm thankful that he is the calm counterpart to my emotions.
• I am thankful that my children have finally seem to accepted living here in Qatar. For one, in particular, it was a difficult adjustment, but having made our trip back to the US seemed to be kind of a watershed moment. Since our return (not counting the initial first 48 hour tears) there have been much fewer tears and complaints and life is moving forward as normal.
• I am thankful for this opportunity to learn about God's wisdom, God's faithfulness, God presence and God's peace. All of it has impacted me in a way I have never before experienced this year.

I expect 2009 will be even better.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Grace Alone.

I have a lot to be thankful for this week. Here's a quick list:

• I'm thankful that today is Qatar's National Day. It's given us something to look forward to all week. Supposedly the fireworks display is going to rival that of the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics!
• I'm thankful that Hubby is on vacation for 9 days, starting today. We are looking forward to having some fun together as a family, doing all the touristy things that we haven't gotten to do yet since moving here.
• I'm thankful for Skype! It's very helpful to have a free way to stay in touch with my family at this time of year since we are so far away. It makes it much easier!
• I'm thankful for all the Christmas trees I've been seeing in the stores!! I hadn't expected to see any and I'm seeing them at almost every store I frequent!!
• I'm thankful for Christmas itself - the very thought that God chose to leave the glories of heaven and come to earth as a poor helpless infant, all so that we, a sinful people, could enjoy relationship with Him. It's truly humbling and amazing. All the presents and special treats and gift wrapping and shopping - it's all just the sideshow. The real meaning of Christmas was in a small, dank manger and then on a rocky hillside dotted with crosses. Thank you, Lord.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Grace Alone!

As our time here in the States begins to wind down (less than two weeks now) I'm beginning to think about returning to Doha and leaving "home." This has led me to thoughts of what I have to be grateful for in both places.

Here in the States:

• Wonderful grocery stores which organized and well-stocked
• Great one-stop shopping such as Target and Wal-Mart
• Bookstores
• Of course, family and friends

Back in Doha:

• Beautiful weather (well, right now anyways - we don't need to talk about the 120 degree summers!)
• My great car
• Our wonderful church
• Our beautiful home
• Job security
• The financial peace it's bringing us to
• My great husband

So, with the exception of family and friends, what I miss most about America is shopping. Which is fabulous here.

But it's good to realize that my life in Doha is really nice. It's been a hard adjustment. But being over here has made me realize that my life over there really isn't that different. To be sure there are minor inconveniences, but overall, it's a good life. It's clearly evident to both Hubby and I that this was totally the hand of God that moved us there. That alone goes a long way towards making me "okay" with living in the Persian Gulf.

So today I'm thankful for the contentment that God has brought me. Knowing that I'm alright, no matter where I'm living, is a huge blessing. The biggest part of that knowledge is the realization that God is with me wherever I go.

I know that lots of my bloggy (and real-life) friends have also moved over the course of the last year. I hope that you are all beginning to feel settled and at peace in your new homes. It's definitely a struggle, but there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh, that light? It's God.

(For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Grace Alone.)

I don't even know where to start today. I don't usually like just doing a bullet-type list of things I'm thankful for, instead choosing to elaborate on something meaningful to me at the time. But right now I've just got a million little things I'm thankful for. Coming home to the US after 7 months overseas, there's alot you learn to appreciate.

*The color green - For years I complained about the lack of green in Miami. And, truthfully, it has been ranked as a city with one of the lowest percentages of tree cover. But after Qatar, let me tell you, it's a feast for the eyes and I am enjoying seeing something other than beige.

* Brilliant blue skies

* Chilly weather - which I've been told will make an appearance in Qatar at some point, but it's been nice have a little snippet of it this week.

* American grocery stores - All of you get down and thank Jesus if you live near a brightly lit, clean, well-stocked grocery store. Right now. I will wait. You just don't appreciate what you have until you don't have it.

* Fox News

* People who know how to drive and don't try to make their own lanes in the little bit of space you leave between your car and the curb.

* Comfortable couches - For some reason, all couches sold over there are about as comfy as sitting on a piece of lumber.

* And, of course, some of the most amazing friends in the universe.

God is so good to have given us this little time back in Miami. We leave Monday to head out to Arizon to spend November with my family, which we are also excited about. But meanwhile, we are enjoying a whirlwind of being with friends and loved ones. I'm really looking forward to worshipping at church on Sunday. It will be so sweet!

For more Thankful Thursday ideas, be sure to visit Iris at Grace Alone. It's always a blessing!

This is it!!! In just a few days I'll be on a plane back to what was once home. While I'm totally excited about it, and my kids are bouncing off the walls about it, it's got me thinking about what "home" really is. For a Christian, I mean.

Yesterday in Bible study, I kind of got us off on a tangent about adapting to life here in Doha, mostly about our children, but also about us grown-up women. We had just looked at Jeremiah 29, the part before "I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord," which everyone knows and loves. Here it is:

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare."

I guess I just needed to vent a little about my frustrations with Emily refusing to adapt to living here. This verse just spoke to me about what she needs to hear (and apply!), that yes, we may be living in a foreign and strange land, but God brought us here. It's His will for us to be here and He wants us to make our lives here and be productive and live life to the fullest while He has us here. It brought up a lot of thoughts from the other women, but one in particular said something that has stuck with me.

Having moved around all her life, she said that she feels like she doesn't really have a place to call "home." She looked so sad and forlorn as she spoke that I just felt God overwhelming me with the thought that none of us have really experienced "home." Not how it was meant to be.

Sure, we may have the beautiful house that could be in an issue of Better Homes and Gardens. We may have a place where we feel cozy and loved and safe. It may be beautifully decorated and be the center of activity for your family and friends.

But God has so much more for us.

I'm just starting to read the book, "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn. It's been great so far, though I've only finished the first couple of chapters. But he points out that there is shockingly little discussion and, even worse, understanding of what heaven will be like in Christian circles today. I'd encourage you to get this book, but I don't really want this post to be about the book. It just seems as though all of us - whether you've lived in the same place your whole life, have moved from place to place, or suddenly find yourself in a culture completely different from what you've known your whole life - all of us long for something more.

So today, I'm thankful for the promise of Heaven. I'm thankful for Christ's intercession on my behalf. I'm thankful that God has put me here for a season and has made clear to me that, while this isn't all He has for me, it's what He has for me right now.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, be sure to visit Iris at Grace Alone.

*** This week's Creative Counterpart post is below. Thanks for your patience!***

Well, to be honest, the last couple of days haven't been the greatest. I have been smacked in the face with the feeling that I'm so far from where I want to be. I'm not the wife and mother that I desire to be. I have a long way to go apparently.

Feelings of failure swirl around me as I try to figure out where I'm going wrong. Like everything else in my life, I've got all the head knowledge, it's just the application part that trips me up. As much as I try, I realize that I am not who I want to be.

And yet...there is Christ. He is my hope and my shield. For that I am so thankful. Even though I fail repeatedly, He never turns away from me. He always picks me up, dusts me off and sets me off again, much like a parent with a toddler learning to walk.

When I want to cry and curl up in my bed, He tells me to get up and try again. When I want to give up, He reminds me that it is never hopeless. In Him, there is the hope of finally getting it right. In Him, there is forgiveness. In Him, there is redemption.

And, just for today, that's enough for me to be thankful for.

(Thanks, as always, to Iris for hosting Thankful Thursday.)

A little over six months ago, I packed up our suitcases and moved to the other side of the world. I left everything I knew and set out to live in the tiny Persian Gulf country of Qatar. Friends, family, home and culture - all left behind.

It's been a hard six months, I'll be honest. The last month or so has been a huge improvement as I've started to feel more at home and made some more connections.

I know I'm not alone. Many of my blogging friends, as well as friends in real life, have also made huge moves this year. And it's hard. Everything from missing that girlfriend who you always called when you were stressed to not being able to find your favorite product in the grocery store. While I may win the prize for moving the farthest, it really doesn't matter. You are uprooted and it can feel like you are all alone.

Then yesterday, during a bout of insomnia, I was reading Psalm 84 and I feel like I have found the Psalm for those who are feeling uprooted.

How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God. Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young—a place near your altar, O LORD Almighty, my King and my God. Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.
Selah
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion. Hear my prayer, O LORD God Almighty; listen to me, O God of Jacob.
Selah
Look upon our shield, O God; look with favor on your anointed one. Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. O LORD Almighty, blessed is the man who trusts in you.

Do you know what I see here? I see the promise that, wherever I live at the moment in this life, my true home is in Heaven with Christ. I see that everyone is given a true home in Christ. That if we are dwelling with Him, abiding in Him, we are home.

If we "set our hearts on pilgrimage" we will be blessed, because we will understand that this world is not our home, that we are just passing through. Pilgrims, if you will. When we keep our focus on our true home, Heaven, we will be able to keep our joy, rather than despairing about our present circumstances.

One verse that stood out to me was this:

"As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs..."

The word Baca means desolation. In fact, some translations use the phrase "Valley of Weeping." I know that many of us who have been relocated can totally relate to that feeling of desolation. As you get lost (again!) in your new town. As you enter the church where you know no one. As you see girlfriends giggling together and feel left out.

But we are told here that we are to make our valley of desolation a place of springs. I believe that we are too invest in our new homes and new lives. Make it a place of beauty - both your home and the community around you. Get involved at your church and at your children's school. Volunteer somewhere. Join a gardening club to find out how to grow something beautiful in your new climate.

And, just like God promises, these things can help us make connections and we will be blessed through them. We will meet like-minded people and begin to make friends. But by getting out and trying to be positive, we will keep ourselves from sitting at home feeling sorry for ourselves.

So, today I've decided to focus on what's positive about my move here to Qatar. By focusing on the positive, it makes it easier to be at home here, rather than always looking back. Here are some things about Qatar that have surprised me:

• Gas is cheap! I fill up my Chevy Tahoe for about $15
• Though it was really hot in the summer (up to 120 degrees), it didn't feel near as bad as I expected it to
• We are able to afford a beautiful huge home
• I really love our church
• We are able to make enough money that now we have hope of getting out of debt
• Driving along the water at night is just beautiful with the skyline reflecting on the bay
• We are able to afford a little household help for me
• Hubby is home by 5 pm now, instead of 7:30
• I can pretty much find all the things I need. Well, sort of. But it's better than I expected.
• The malls are great - beautiful and lots of different options
• Our home has two huge trees (unusual here) and lots of room for the kids to play outside
• We have a rooftop terrace that will be great when the weather cools down just a little more

I'm grateful to be living in a place where God is using everything around me to teach me and draw me closer to Him. Everything from the Islamic call to prayer to grocery shopping is a tool that God is using to stretch me, draw me to Himself and grow me.

For more Thankful Thursday posts, visit Iris.