Day 6

día seis: Today I am thankful for living in the state of Virginia and taking advantage of all it has to offer.

Dear Lord, today I praise You for the beauty I was able to experience just a few hours ago! The Shenandoah Valley and mountains of Virginia are covered in red & orange trees right now, and the sights are so pretty. You sure did put some thought into Your creations, Father. You make the leaves change color around this time every year... I know not of a scientific purpose or reason, but it really reminds me of how awesome of a God that You are. That is certainly reason enough.

Ever since I was born, You've kept me a resident of Virginia. It seems like there's some reasoning to that, since my parents & brother moved from Pennsylvania right before I was born. While many others have moved all around, You've kept me a Virginia girl, only having moved once (& twenty minutes away, at that). Thank You, God, for making it so I was raised in Chesapeake. It is a generally safe place to live, and I enjoy being close to big cities without being in the center of them. In living twenty minutes away from the oceanfront, You've allowed me to discover the relaxation and fun I experience at the beach. You've made it a place of recreation & fellowship for my family, my friends, and the youth at my church. That was such a fun time each Tuesday of my internship.

"How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand." -Psalm 139:17-18

You've placed me just an hour and a half away from my dad's mom in the Outer Banks, making it easy for us to take many weekend trips to see her when I was younger. You've also placed us close to Mom's cousin and his family in Norfolk. I've found this to be a huge blessing recently, as Steve has helped us immensely with so many things since Mom's passing. It's incredible how much relief You have provided through him. Because of my living in Chesapeake, I was able to make the amazing friends I have today. Thank You in particular today for Heaven & Patrick - born 22 years ago today. Be with them in their celebrations and may they know that You have wonderful plans for the rest of their years here on earth.

God, You let me to a different part of Virginia when it came time for me to go to college. This brought many more fantastic people into my life, & it also has allowed me to experience life in a different part of the state. I think it's so cool that You've placed me first near the beach & then in the mountains. Even though the two places are only 4 hours away, there are contrasts in temperature, in lifestyles, in jobs, and so much more (to a certain extent). By keeping me in Virginia for college, You've kept me close to my family, and this semester in being at home, You've made me able to visit JMU frequently. I went apple picking with Andrew in Charlottesville today, and the sights we saw were so beautiful. Help us see the beauty of Your creation no matter where we are & no matter what the circumstances.

Father, I don't know where You will take me later on in my life. May I follow wherever You lead me, though. Thank You for my placement in Virginia for now, and all the experiences I've had in a small but diverse area. Amen.