family.

Well, the Lifepoint Thanksgiving was a huge success!! Over 20 people were packed into the VanDykes' home, each person bringing a special Thanksgiving dish to share, complete with...surprise! A real turkey! Steve VanDyke also managed to record the Macy's Day Parade and one of the football games that aired this year... (the Lions game, or the Tigers, or Bears... oh my!) Because what would Thanksgiving be without some floats and football in the background?

Over and over I kept feeling so grateful and thankful for the family that God has given me here. He didn't just send Claire and I to Bangkok to live and work in isolation, He has connected us with a wonderful church and a real spiritual family as well. In some ways it feels like we have many families here... there is the guest-house family that changes frequently as teams come and go and as long-term volunteers and employees filter in and out. There is our BSC family, made up of the teachers and volunteers we work with on a daily basis. There is our LifePoint family. And there is our Spotswood family, who, even though they lag 12 time zones behind us, still manage to consistently encourage and bless us. And, of course, there is my real family also... who sends me treats from home, includes me via skype in family events and consistently supports, loves and prays for me.

I am so blessed.

So when I saw this "thankfulness tree" at LifePoint this morning, there was no question in my mind what I should write on my slip. I am thankful that God puts us in families. I am thankful that we're not left to struggle through our faith and our life alone. I'm thankful that even though The Church is spread throughout the world, we are all the same family, with the same Father. I am thankful that God gives us a place to belong.