29 Days of Thankfulness, Day 1

Yes, I know that there are 30 days in November. And no, I didn't just randomly think about doing this today and say, "Oh, stink- I already missed a day!" I've actually had this planned for a while. But you see, the truth of the matter is that I just flat out wasn't thankful yesterday. Instead I was wallowing in a sea of financial self pity. I was feeling bad for myself over the fact that support raising has not been going well, that I'm barely getting by month to month, that I'm rapidly using what little savings I had in the first place, that I can't afford to do any more support raising trips to try to raise the support that I need, and that this week I had a double whammy of car troubles and finding out that I cracked a tooth and need a crown. Combine those two together and I will completely deplete my savings account over the next few days. Stack that up on top of not having enough monthly support, and needing to register and prepay for two trainings in January, and yeah, you get the picture. Yesterday was NOT a Day of Thankfulness for me, and I just didn't feel like starting this "30 Days of Thankfulness" project. I tossed and turned all night thinking about the situation in which I find myself, which is not one with which I'm comfortable, or happy, or....thankful.

But today is a new day. And though my financial situation is no different than it was yesterday, and I'm still feeling very stressed about it, as I was riding this morning I gave myself a little kick in the rear(I know, that's quite impressive, considering that I was riding at the time). Because, aren't savings FOR emergencies?? And don't car problems and a cracked tooth count as emergencies? Sure, I'd rather not have these problems, and I'd rather not have had to use my savings this year to pay for ministry expenses, and I'd rather not deplete what remains in savings, but PRAISE GOD that I actually had the $2000 and don't have to go into debt to pay these bills.

So today, on Day 1 of my 29 Days of Thankfulness, I am thankful for:

-God's putting me into this place of having to completely trust Him
-His provision of HIS saving's account
-the dentist and endodontist who didn't charge me their normal office fees
-the car that is causing me grief and headaches, and yet is necessary in this part of the world