Dear friends,
I cannot believe Thanksgiving is almost here. I always hear people say how special your first holiday season will be together in your first year of marriage. I was thinking back to our first thanksgiving in our tiny studio apartment in Santa Barbara, when Matt was really sick and I was beginning to catch it. We stayed "home" and had some of our family bring us over turkey, brussel sprouts, potatoes and green beans. One thing missing? Gravy. It wasn't a cheerful Thanksgiving to us, not just because we didn't have gravy, but the family and friends we were used to being with each year were far from us.
There was something special in having each other to comfort while being sick on Thanksgiving together. That the Thanksgiving day we had together alone in SB, would never be like any other Thanksgiving. I think that was what made it so special. For the first time, I realized how much of an impact my family had on me, having them with me every year before moving to SB. Living in Santa Barbara made my family more valuable to me. I began realizing, not just by distance, but by the hard work they placed into my life every single year, in loving me and providing everything for me. I learned to trust in the Lord more because I didn't have my family around. I realized that through every single day, our trust in the Lord is essential in our relationship with Him.
Our first year married year of the holiday season began in SB in our tiny apartment, miles away from home. Our second year is back with family, in our families home, so cozy and warm. I cannot wait to see where we are next year. I wish for our own place to call home in this coming year, to have stable income and to be accomplishing our career goals together. I wish so much to have a small house next holiday season to invite our families and friends over.
It's funny how much we think we can plan out our lives, but really never having a grip on the way things go. Sure, we're responsible with our decisions, but there is no stopping God's will for our lives. And what better way to glorify Him and have joy in Him than to let Him lead us by His will?
What makes us think our plans are any better than His?
I would have never imagined that I'd be living in California for the first year of our marriage, to now living back in Springfield, where we didn't plan to come back to. But God's plan has blessed us so much.
Still working on pillows. I'm quite the slow crafter.
With Love,
Lindsay
