Thankful.

Tonight, I am thankful. I've been thinking about this particular entry all day, because today has been an amazing day. Not that every day isn't a gift from God, therefore making it amazing, but today was particularly great. I have been humbled today. God has brought some things to my realization today. God has shown me everything I have today and reminded me that I deserve none of it. So, the following "list" is just that. The things I am thankful for and why. And because I appreciate organization, they will probably somewhat model the way my day went.

- I am thankful for Natalie Houtz. She is the best. I mean, if you don't know this girl, you are missing out. I've never known anyone in my entire life that gets more excited to tell people about the short conversation she had about Jesus with a stranger at the gas station. And that is what I love about her. It inspires me to have the same passion and urgency. Today, we had breakfast. We are going to start going through 1 Corinthians 1 together and meeting on Sunday mornings. I'm so excited about this. I met this wonderful lady in London, of all places, when I was there this summer. I was wearing a Choctaw shirt (actually, I think it's the one I'm wearing at this moment) and she noticed me from afar and we soon discovered that Natalie from Stroud was super involved at Choctaw Road Baptist Church, which, for those that don't know, is basically in the same town as my church. While we didn't get super close in London, we started hanging out when she got home and that casual hanging out turned into Sunday breakfasts and late night phone calls when we need someone to talk to or are just scared of the weird noises outside. She's going back to London in June. For six months. Which is why I am also thankful for Skype.

- I am thankful for the First Baptist Church of Nicoma Park. Really, I could probably write a whole novel about why I love this church, but I'll try to condense it into a paragraph. This is my home church. I have literally been there almost every time the doors were open (or not, but that's another story) since I was a week old. Needless to say, it's a pretty big part of my life. I was saved and baptized in this church. I was raised in this church. The people from this church have seen me grow and mature both as a person and as a follower of Christ and have guided me in every way possible. I often hear teenagers say, "I have to go to church today." That just breaks my heart. I get to go to church more than once a week. I get to freely worship my Savior. How selfish of us to think that getting up a little early on a weekend to worship the Creator of the stinkin' universe is something we should dread? It's words like this that remind me of the people in underground churches overseas who could and would die if their government ever found out that they loved Jesus Christ, let alone met with other believers to worship Him. (Sorry. I tend to get soapbox-ish when it comes to this particular issue.) Back to the original reason for this bullet. I love FBCNP. A lot.

- I am thankful for my family. As many of you know, there's this guy named Richard Vinson (the second. He does have a dad by the same name.). Most, if not everyone reading this, know him as Bubba. And most, if not everyone reading this, know that he is basically my brother. That being said, Bubs was home today and I had no idea he was going to be here. The five of us (me, Sarah, Bub, mom and dad) went to lunch today after church and had an incredible discussion on ministry and what it means. I love that. I love that I can talk to him and my mom about Christ and have them be on the same page as me. I love that Bubba is answering the call to youth ministry. And I am so, so proud of the man he has become and is becoming. I rode with my mom to lunch and on the way home, we continued to talk about ministry. And then that continued when we got home. We talked about Jesus for about three hours straight today. I cherish that. Not only because I know that this quality time with my mom is limited, but because I am always so encouraged when I get finished with conversations like that.

- The last thing I am thankful for, and obviously by last I don't really mean last, is forgiveness and grace. Not necessarily human forgiveness and grace, although that's nice, but God's forgiveness and grace. I had dinner tonight with one of my favorite girls and Bubba and on my way home, I kept thinking about all the things we had discussed. About that time, my phone started playing the song "Times" by Tenth Avenue North. If you've never heard that song, go listen to it. As I was thinking and listening to this song, I was filled with an overwhelming assurance that nothing I ever did was too big for God. He can handle everything. And He will forgive everything. No matter how much it may hurt or disappoint you or me, God will take that pain and that burden away. That's incredible to me. I mean, who would do that? Certainly not me. That's a lot of weight to carry! But God, in all His awesomeness, does. And He does it willingly. He wants to take our burdens. Think on that for a bit and tell me you don't just want to praise God.

In the meantime, here are the lyrics to "Times":

"I know I need You. I need to love You. I love to see You, but it's been so long. I long to feel You. I feel this need for You. And I need to hear You, is that so wrong?

Now You pull me near You. When we're close, I fear You. Still I'm afraid to tell You, all that I've done. Are you done forgiving? Can You look past my pretending? Lord, I'm so tired of defending what I've become. What have I become?

I hear you say,
'My love is over, it's underneath, it's inside, it's in between. The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel. The times that you question, 'Is this for real?' The times you're broken, the times that you mend, the times that you hate Me and the times that you bend.
My love is over, it's underneath, it's inside, it's in between. These times you're healing and when you're heart breaks, the times that you feel like you're falling from grace. The times you're hurting, the times that you heal, the times you go hungry and are tempted to steal. The times of confusion, in chaos and pain, I'm there in you're sorrow, under the weight of you're shame. I'm there through your heartache, I'm there in the storm, My love I will keep you by My power alone. I don't care where you fall or where you have been, I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends.'"