Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving, my friends! 

I blogged a few days ago about the decade photo challenge, and today I'm using that same idea to share my gratitude for life in 2019.

First, though, here's an updated comparison of our respective selves in 2009 and the update from 2019.

My goodness. Life is SO DIFFERENT for both of us than it was ten years ago. I actually went back to my Thanksgiving post from ten years ago to see what I was thankful for as a 31 year old single girl. 

Come to find out...my gratitude remains very similar. It just now involves an answer to prayer named Ryan.

2009:

Thankful for scrapbook days. Of course back in those days, the scrapbooks were the traditional kind with printed photos, adhesive, and big messes. 

2019:

Still thankful for scrapbooking days. Also thankful that nine years ago I learned about digital scrapbooking, which has made life far less messy and far more streamlined. 

2009: Thankful for game nights. I had begun meeting up with high school friends once or twice a year to play games, and even though I always lost, I was thankful for the friendship and fun.

2019: Still thankful for game nights. I had no idea that ten years later, they'd still be a thing. I'm still losing with finesse, but I'm still thankful for the chance to do this with my friends and that Ryan can join me now!

2009: Thankful for meals out with friends. I had a handful of friends who regularly joined me for lunches or dinners - and that made me feel so seen and chosen!

2019: Thankful for meals out with friends and a husband! Since we've moved and life has changed so much in the last ten years, the people I get to share meals with has also changed! But we do love getting to have meals out with friends whenever we can (and meals in our home, too!) and I really especially love the chance to eat out with my husband. That is a blessing I didn't have a decade ago!

2009: Thankful for coffee and movie nights. I was too cheap to go see movies in the theater, but I loved getting coffee with friends and watching movies at home.

2019: Thankful for coffee and movie nights. We're still too cheap to go see movies in the theater, but clearly we love to go out for coffee, and we frequently watch movies at home - rented or from TV!

2009: Thankful for new babies to cuddle. I'm not sure, off the top of my head, who had the new babies I cuddled in 2009, but it doesn't surprise me that I was thankful for it!

2019: Thankful for new babies to cuddle. She lives much too far away for regular snuggle visits, but meeting this sweet girl this year was a DREAM!

2009: Thankful for retreats. Back in those days, retreats were overnight getaways I went on by myself so I could spend time away with the Lord.

2019: Thankful for retreats. It would have blown my mind back then to know that in ten years, I'd be speaking at such events!

2009: Thankful for vacations. I didn't get to take too terribly many back then, partially because of lack of funding and partially because I was single and didn't like to travel alone. But I had just begun to branch out and take a few trips. 

2019: Thankful for vacations. I never would have dreamed that I'd get to see some of the places I've visited in the last seven years since marrying Ryan. We still don't have many funds, but we try to be frugal and go where we can on the money we have. And this year? Ryan's birthday cruise took me the farthest from home I've ever been! 

2009: Thankful for seasons of TV shows. I wish I would have been more specific to see what I was watching back then! Could have been a little bit of anything! But I will say that in those single days, TV kept me sane when I felt lonely. 

2019: Thankful for seasons of TV shows...and Hallmark movies.  I'm also thankful that I have a husband who finds things like HGTV and Andy Griffith reruns to be solid viewing material. 

2009: Thankful for days at the lake. Back then, I was new to lake life, but I had a couple of friends who invited me to join them at the lake whenever I could, and that's when I managed to fall in love with the lake.

2019: Thankful for days at the lake. And who knew I'd marry a man who also loved lake life??

2009: Thankful for Bible studies. I loved being part of them with friends from church and individual friends, too!

2019: Thankful for Bible studies. I didn't know my appetite for them would grow so wildly, and that I'd not only do as many as I could on my own, but I'd also host them in my home - with Ryan. (Or that we'd be given leadership of the whole ministry at our church!)

2009: Thankful for cookouts. I was just getting into entertaining at home and loved it whenever I could take the party outside!

2019: Thankful for cookouts. Still love them and still host them as often as we can. And now I have my own grillmaster!

2009: Thankful for upgrades to the house. I don't know what I did to my (now former) house in 2009, but it certainly saw many upgrades in the time I lived there. That was such a sweet house.

2019: Thankful for upgrades to the house. It's been a good year for making it pretty - and I think the porch is my favorite!

2009: Thankful for concerts. I'm going to guess that year included a trip to hear David Phelps. I had no idea that the following decade (mostly from my few years in radio) would send me to dozens of concerts!

2019: Thankful for concerts. We don't go to as many anymore, but I love it whenever we can go, and Ryan is the best concert partner! 

2009: Thankful for conferences. I'm not sure what conference I went to that year, but I'm guessing I took a lot of notes!

2019: Thankful for conferences. It was hard to be apart from Ryan for this one, but I am so thankful I was able to go to the leadership forum and learn much!

So as you can see - not much has changed in ten years...even though everything has changed in ten years!

Also in 2009, I wrote, I'm thankful for these blessings, because I know a lot of people who had a memorable year, but in their case, memorable didn't mean great. And yet I've been so challenged by their decision to hope. Their resolve to move forward. Their choice to proclaim that God is good, even when life is not.

I still see people who fit into this description, and I am still challenged and convicted by their determination. 2019 has been a difficult year for us in many ways - but it has also been a tremendous year of seeing God's hand of provision and mercy at work in our lives and home. 

For that, we are both thankful.

Happy Thanksgiving from Shafferland!