Instead of being that annoying person who cries "first," I shall quietly acknowledge that I posted the first Thanksgiving thread here (since the thought just occurred to me). Anyway, it feels like I haven't posted here in forever, which is probably true. I certainly know someone will go find out exactly how long. A warm thank you to the poor unlucky sucker who does.

Moving on, this Thanksgiving, I want to share a few things I'm thankful for, and I welcome ya'll to do so as well.

The biggest thing I'm thankful for is the hard times in my life. God gave me the trials I have for a reason. If I did not know pain, I would not be able to help, understand, and comfort the people I have. If I were to be honest, I would not change a thing that has happened to me. Regardless of all the trash I've gone through, am going through, and will go through, I'm thankful. And will do my best to go through life through a smile. (Hence why I might come off as a semi-troll in the future, cuz I have some topics I've been thinking about)

I'm thankful for the people who have influenced me to be the person I am today. If it were not for them, I seriously doubt I would have anything to do with God. I'd have probably committed suicide or something. Without my positive (and maybe even negative) influences, I would not be an artist, a writer ("wait, she writes?"), a Christian, a teenager, a singer who loves to sing, a girl who's proud to be a woman, and me. Thank you Papa and Mama Smalls for putting up with me for so long in the youth group. I know your patience finally wore thin, which is probably why you started a church in the deep south, far far away from me. I'm trying not to cry.

Moving on, I'm also thankful for you Atheists who are reading this. Why you? Because I love you guys. You keep my on my toes, you make fun of what I do, you argue and cuss at (at, because it's not with) me, and you also encourage me and compliment me which turns to be a very confusing set of contradictions and beautiful amazingness, because I seriously do love you peeps and pray for you peeps and cry while I pray for you peeps. (That whole previous mishmash of previous and confounding sentences basically means that I love you atheist peeps in all seriousness) I'm also thankful for the trolls, because you make my life brighter, and you make me laugh. Go ahead; post memes and gifs of happy tears or something, or memes and gifs of something funny because I really want to spit out my drink from something atm. I love you trolls! (In all seriousness, I honestly do). I'm thankful for you Christian peeps. I just am. I love you peeps, my bros and sistas! And so that I'm not offending anyone (because that would be a terrible thing), I'm also thankful for all the other minority parties not previously mentioned; I love ya'lls in your unique ways.

Be thankful for your lives. A nineteen-year-old friend of mine passed away last week from a pulmonary embolism. I'm only sixteen. I'm only three years younger. What if, in three years, I die? Live well and have no regrets. Do what you can to make a difference in the lives of others. If there's something kind you can do for someone, do it. Tomorrow, you may never have that chance again.

So, I think that covers it. As you throughout your day tomorrow/today, don't forget to be thankful and say "thank you" every time someone does something nice or nasty/hateful for you.

Thank you!
~Melly~

5652032
Excerpt from Luther's Large Catechism:
"I hold and believe that I am God’s creature, that is, that he has given me and
constantly sustains my body, soul, and life, my members great and small, all my
senses, my reason and understanding, and the like; my food and drink, clothing,
nourishment, spouse and children, servants, house and farm, etc. Besides, he
makes all creation help provide the benefits and necessities of life—sun, moon,
and stars in the heavens; day and night; air, fire, water, the earth and all that it
yields and brings forth; birds, fish, animals, grain, and all sorts of produce.
Moreover, he gives all physical and temporal blessings—good government,
peace, security. Thus we learn from this article that none of us has life—or
anything else that has been mentioned here or can be mentioned—from
ourselves, nor can we by ourselves preserve any of them, however small and
unimportant. All this is comprehended in the word ―Creator.
Moreover, we also confess that God the Father has given us not only all that
we have and what we see before our eyes, but also that he daily guards and
defends us against every evil and misfortune, warding off all sorts of danger and
disaster. All this he does out of pure love and goodness, without our merit, as a
kind father who cares for us so that no evil may befall us.
Hence, because everything we possess, and everything in heaven and on
earth besides, is daily given, sustained, and protected by God, it inevitably
follows that we are in duty bound to love, praise, and thank him without ceasing,
and, in short, to devote all these things to his service, as he has required and
enjoined in the Ten Commandments.
Here much could be said if we were to describe how few people believe this
article. We all pass over it; we hear it and recite it, but we neither see nor think
about what the words command us to do. For if we believed it with our whole
heart, we would also act accordingly, and not swagger about and boast and brag
as if we had life, riches, power, honor, and such things of ourselves, as if we
ourselves were to be feared and served. This is the way the wretched, perverse
world acts, drowned in its blindness, misusing all the blessings and gifts of God
solely for its own pride, greed, pleasure, and enjoyment, and never once turning
to God to thank him or acknowledge him as Lord or Creator.
Therefore, if we believe it, this article should humble and terrify all of us.
For we sin daily with eyes, ears, hands, body and soul, money and property, and
with all that we have, especially those who even fight against the Word of God.
Yet Christians have this advantage, that they acknowledge that they owe it to
God to serve and obey him for all these things.
For this reason we ought daily to practice this article, impress it upon our
minds, and remember it in everything we see and in every blessing that comes
our way. Whenever we escape distress or danger, we should recognize how God
gives and does all of this so that we may sense and see in them his fatherly heart
and his boundless love toward us. Thus our hearts will be warmed and kindled
with gratitude to God and a desire to use all these blessings to his glory and
praise."
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

5652032

I love you peeps

you peeps

peeps

In all seriousness, thanks for this, and may God grant us all a great Thanksgiving!

5652050
OMGoodness! That little peep thing is so cute! Lol, I said peeps because I knew some overly joyous person might slam me for saying guys, because of the prejudice and stuff that would indicate that I must apparently have towards the LGBT crowd and blacks (which I don't). Okay, that wasn't entirely my reason, but reading reading your comment is so worth my language randomness.
I'm really tired right now, so about 50% of what I've said at all is randomness that is meant in all seriousness.
~Melly~

5652032

I don't celebrate Thanksgiving. Me and my wife are probably just going to act out a book like a play with just the two of us.

#Nerds4Lyf

5652066
Well, happy Thanksgiving regardless, to you and your wife! Have fun!
~Melly~

5652067 I was going to make a comment about the Smalls' reason for starting a church in the deep south, but your story about a nineteen-year old friend dying got to me.

Happy Thanksgiving.

EDIT:

Okay, that wasn't entirely my reason, but reading reading your comment is so worth my language randomness.

I'm really tired right now, so about 50% of what I've said at all is randomness that is meant in all seriousness.

5652171
Happy Thanksgiving!

Wait, when you quoted me, what did you mean by that?
~Melly~

5652357 I had no idea what you said. But I'll just leave it at that.

May your friend make peace in Heaven.

5652360
Oh, okay
Thanks,
~Melly~

5652032 Happy Thanksgiving!