Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, my friend!

I’ve mostly whined to you about the events of 2016. I’m going to turn my frown upside down by thinking of my losses in a positive way. I know that I have MUCH to be thankful for this season.

I am so thankful I don’t have to take myself too seriously!

“Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don’t take yourself too seriously – take God seriously,” Micah 6:8 (the message).

I’m thankful my entire family is healthy.

I’m thankful for texting and facebook. This has allowed my family and friends to move to Florida with me.

I’m thankful for all the new friends I’m making in my new community and through OysterBed7.

I’m thankful I have the opportunity (after the holidays) to lose the 10 pounds I’ve gained. (See how I turned that around?)

Now that we live in south Florida, we probably won’t suffer from Seasonal Affected Disorder anytime soon which will be good for my libido.

I’m thankful to have a very adequate roof over my head. (We recently found out that coconuts falling from palm trees will damage said roof.)

I’m thankful I unpacked the last moving box this week (Cue insanely enthusiastic applause)! It took 5 months but it felt like an eternity because I’m a person who thrives in order. The REAL blessing is that Dave doesn’t care about order, as much, so he put absolutely no pressure on me.

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The last box

I’m thankful this move has cleared my plate so that I can return to school in order to better minister to you.

I’m thankful this move tested our coping skills. Relationship tools we began learning a decade ago have become habit, mostly. We are still flawed and occasionally knee jerk reactions take precedence over the 5 seconds of breathing. I may have pouted once.

“Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way,” James 1:2-4 (the message).

I’m thankful to see first-hand how low-libido can be successfully managed even during highly stressful seasons. This is only because we have learned tools. Which basically means, we have learned how to behave like Christ. And I’ll re-emphasize, we fail sometimes. When that happens, we then get to practice another quality of Christ, forgiveness.

I’m thankful that in spite of low-libido, God has blessed me with the comfort of sexual intimacy. Yes, I said me. Sex isn’t just for him. So be encouraged, even with low libido you can find comfort in sexual intimacy. And, if you work hard enough, low libido is not a permanent condition.

I pray you have a moment or two today to be quiet and thank God for knowing you and helping you grow.

How has God shown you growth through trials of sexual intimacy and low libido?