Thankful

It is nearly 5am.
I just turned in my last big paper for my second to last semester of seminary.
I should be sleeping.
But I'm wide awake with a heart full of thanks.

Thankful for the way God works to bring new people in to be family.
Thankful for the accountability to take care of myself over the last few weeks of sickness.
Thankful for honest, genuine, transparent conversations about life and things that have hurt us in the past.
Thankful for prayers and strength through the past weeks of physical pain.
Thankful for opportunities to do life together.
Thankful for second chances.
Thankful for the opportunity to watch new family members discover the blessings of doing life as family.
Thankful for reminders to not take the familiar for granted.
Thankful for the comfort that if I need anything at all, regardless of what time it is, there will be someone who will show up for me.
Thankful for family that are not afraid of the ugly, messy sides of life.
Thankful for the willingness to confront these ugly, messy sides together.
Thankful for a global family spread across all these different time zones that even when one side is asleep while I'm up writing a paper, there's another side to talk to to help keep me awake.
Thankful for prayers that kept me going this week.
Thankful for those who understand the depth of the spiritual warfare of this week.
Thankful for everything that made staying up till 4:30am writing a paper enjoyable.
Thankful for stamina to still care about this academic work even after the discoveries in Germany this summer.
Thankful for opportunities to do life and relationships to make this academic relevant.
Thankful for this couch to crash on after this night of paper-writing.
Thankful for you who are reading this.

And finally, thankful that I can now go to bed.
So blessed. So thankful for you.