 November and December may very well be my favorite months of the year - for two reasons. 1) my birthday and 2) the holiday season. Thanksgiving and Christmas are my two favorite holidays and, lets be honest, Thanksgiving is really just a warm-up for Christmas. My family is already enjoying colorful lights, frosted sugar cookies, Christmas carols, and cozy Christmas movies. I sometimes wonder of I lose Thanksgiving amidst my love for Christmas (my sister calls is Obsessive Christmas Disorder...). And yet, Thanksgiving is the perfect prelude to the Christmas season - after all, what better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus than to give Him thanks for His incredible gift of salvation? This year, my family made a "Thankful Pumpkin", which was basically a big pumpkin covered in sharpie marker that proclaims all the things we are grateful for. I've found that my list every year is pretty much always the same. My parents, my siblings, forgiveness, warm blankets, books, chocolate, books, music, books... you get the picture. This year, we got creative, and I was reminded once again just how many little things God gave me that I take for granted. Sparkling snow. A perfectly still morning. A horse's whinny. Frosty breath. Warm fireplaces. Fluffy socks. Succulents made from sugary frosting (long story...). Piano keys. Laughter. Stars. And most of all, this year I am grateful for the gift of awareness - the ability that God gave me to look around and really see His creativity and His people. It is this gift that enables me to see better, listen better, and ultimately love better. And it is a gift that I have not cultivated nearly enough. (Check out this post about The Art of Awareness for a dose of conviction and encouragement!) What are you thankful for this year? What do you most look forward to during the holiday season? I can't wait to hear from you! 
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