Blessed Beyond Measure

I tend to get ahead of myself and think to what is going on the next. Next week, next month, next year, even as soon as the next day.  I can't seem to stay in the here and now for reasons beyond my understanding. So today, on this day of giving thanks, I am stopping to live in the here and now. I am stopping to count my blessings and thank God for what he has placed in my life particularly this year.

This year I am thankful for two things. The first being relationships.
I am thankful for my growing relationship with Jesus. Always growing, always a journey, always worth it.
I am thankful for my relationship with my only living grandparents. I have been blessed with their guidance throughout my 17+ years and I am blessed with the fact that they are still around  to guide me.
I am thankful for my relationship with my parents. They are the most solid, Christian influences I have in my life, and for that I thank God every day.
I am thankful for my relationship with my brothers. My closest allies, my forever friends.

This year in particular I am thankful for a new type of relationship I have experienced. I am thankful for my relationship with my boyfriend. I have experienced a relationship that thrives on me being me. It thrives on me WANTING to put him before myself. It thrives on our individual relationship with Jesus, and our relationship together with Jesus. It thrives on making each other laugh and being there when the other person is having the worst day. It thrives on us loving each other even when we don't deserve it. Through the good times and bad. It is the most unselfish relationship I have ever experienced. This leads me to the other thing I am thankful for.

I am thankful for Love.

This year I have learned what loving someone really means. I have learned it is unselfish. It is a deep desire to give of yourself to make someone happy long before you ever thing about you. It means listening instead of talking. It means giving the best advice you have even if it feels like it can't help anything. Loving someone means you have someone you don't think you could live without them, without their smile, or their laughter, without their dorkiness and joy. Loving someone is wanting every moment to make the other person's eyes light up, and see their smile spread across their face. I have found this sort of love, and this year that is what I am most thankful for. For anyone who has found that sort of relationship, that sort of love, is blessed beyond measure.