Thanksgiving is Near- Here is What I Want to Give Thanks For

With the holiday of Thanksgiving fast approaching, I find myself thinking more often about the gifts I have been blessed with and how grateful I am.  Don't get me wrong, I give a prayer of thanks nearly every day, but with this holiday approaching and Christmas not far behind, I find that I think about my blessings a little more than usual.

I'm not sure that this a good thing.  I mean, lets be real, a lot of us are annoyed by the influx of people stating how grateful they are as the secular holiday of thanks and feasting nears.  I know that I find myself thinking that perhaps if we were all this grateful year round, the world wouldn't be in such a state.  If we were as grateful in July for our families, friends, and jobs as we are in November and December, perhaps we wouldn't be so quick to take them for granted.

Think of the child who lies to serve his own purpose, the friends who talk behind others backs, the co-workers who steal credit for work they did not do.  Think of how quickly we forget what a blessing our families and friends are or how blessed we are to have a job in the economy.  We seem less likely to overlook minor inconveniences or slights than in years past.  Maybe it's the whole culture becoming more self centered and less socially focused, maybe it's the new ability to quickly go online and have our rants and raves justified and supported-right or wrong.

My Parents:
Still, I am grateful for many things.  I am always grateful for my family.  I believe that God chooses the people in our families for a reason.  We are all different, and we all bring something to our families-whether we realize it or not.  My parents were the ones who taught me to love with all my heart-they gave me a passion to be a wife and mother, that still rings true in my life.  My dreams are not huge, I want to be a good wife and mother.  This value was instilled in me by my mother, who took great pride in caring for others.

My uncle, who took care of my mother and myself my entire life, showed me the importance of hard work and dedication.  Not giving up when things are tough, is just one thing I learned from Fred.  Fred literally came into our lives when I less than 6months old, and he stayed to take care of us.  Things weren't always perfect; our family had some serious issues and problems when I was younger.  Still, no matter how bad things got, we worked through them all.  To me, that is still an essential part of family- you love, you fight, then you talk it over, hug and move on.  You don't give up and walk out just because you don't see eye to eye!

My Husband:
My husband is a gift to me.  We are both stubborn, passionate people.  This often means that our marriage is more like a roller coaster-there are many ups and downs.  That being said, I love him with all my heart, and I literally thank God every day for him (even when we are in our worst fights).  We have been together since we were teenagers, and we grew up together.  If I were to be completely truthful, I would have to say that he holds the power to make me happier than any other person in the world; of course, that means he can also hurt me more than anyone.  That's true of all the ones we love though isn't it?  They know our hearts and this gives them a lot of power over our hearts.

My husband is a great man who sometimes struggles to see what I need, but he never stops trying to make me happy.  He works hard, is highly respected and has so much integrity.  I remember when we were first dating, I was so awed by his level of integrity and how moved he was to do the right thing.  It inspired me to start pushing myself to be a better person.  I want to be a wife he is proud of because I am certainly proud of him.  He is intelligent and kind.  He has the ability to talk to anyone about anything, and I love that about him. He also keeps me focused on whats really important in life.

My Son:
My son has taught me to never stop reaching for my goals.  He is passionate and articulate; he is truly the best of me and my husband.  Our son is intelligent in ways I can't even imagine-he definitely has his  fathers mathematical sense!  He has always seen the world in his own way, and was never one to be swayed by peers.  Even when he was in high school, he stood on his own beliefs and never cared much what others thought.  Since I have always cared a great deal of what others thought, I always admired this about him.

He was always so on fire for Christ, that it made my heart burn with pride.  I loved watching him grow into a fine young man after Christs heart.  I knew from the time he was little that he would grow up to do great things- and he is!  He is the apple of my eye, and I am sure that I could not have asked for a better son if I tried!  I thank God for him daily and pray that he always knows the love his parents have for him.

My family:
My extended family helped me develop a love for family.  I loved growing up close to aunts, uncles, and cousins.  I always wanted a large family to replicate this experience that I had growing up.  I miss those days more than they can ever know ( we no longer speak due to a falling out in the family).

My in-laws are so dedicated to each other.  They love each other deeply and are genuinely happy for one another.  They all take great pride in the family history, and I have learned what a blessing it is to know your roots and where you came from.  Traditions are not a huge part of my in-laws holidays, but one thing that always happens is that family dinners are full of stories from the past.   I love that and am so grateful for the lesson!

My Friends:
Ok, so this one may seem like a generic one, but stay with me.  I have a few close friends who have shaped me into the woman I am today.  These friends are incredible people who have guided me, supported me and held me accountable; and they did it all from a place of love and kindness.

I think if anyone has even one friend they can call in the middle of the night, when their world is falling down around them, they are blessed.  I have several friends I could call, and I value each one of them.  It is through my friendships that I learned to finally ask for help, that I learned that I don't have to be perfect to be loved.  I consider myself gifted to have friends who I can laugh and cry with, and even one or two who are totally comfortable just sitting with me when words won't come.

My Health:
Anyone who knows me, may be surprised by this, as I have several health issues.  However, every ache and pain, reminds me that I have the ability to feel aches and pains.  When I move stiffly, I am grateful that I have the ability to get up and move.  I often suffer from headaches, but they remind me that I have the financial means to purchase pain relievers, take time off work and buy nutritious food to nourish the body.

I think our bodies are a gift, and even in our times of ill health, we can learn to be grateful and find the blessings!  We can all be thankful that we live in a country with wonderful health care, and doctors and nurses who not only care, but have the ability to heal our aches and pains.  Knowledge and medicine are not available in every country, but we are able to call a doctor or go to a hospital, be given some tests, medications and often sent home in a brief time.  We don't have to fight basic infections, or go without medications simply because they can't be delivered to the hospital.  Many countries fight harsh conditions just to get basic medical care!

Other items:

My puppies, Jesse and Murphy

My goodness, where do I begin?  I am thankful for the music that touches my soul daily, for my dogs that are able to make me laugh on my saddest days, for my home (which I love), for the change of seasons to remind us of Gods hand.  I am thankful for the ability to see Gods hand in my life daily, for His forgiveness and mercy, which I need daily.  I am grateful for my passion of writing, and my ability to love those in my life.

Everywhere I look, I see the beauty and creativity of God.  From the Great lakes to a high mountaintop, his glory is evident in every place!  Don't believe me?  Take a moment to think about the vast diversity on earth- plant, human and animal life and everything in between!  There is absolutely no way there can be so much diversity by accident!  Nature is powerful, but only because it is controlled by God.

I give thanks regularly that I live in a country where I can worship openly and publicly.  I have freedoms that many others in this world do not have, and I don't ever want to take them for granted.  even writing this blog is a freedom that many do not have!

Everyday that I get up, I realize that I am wonderfully and fearfully made in Gods image, and that all i need to do is call on him, and all my prayers will be answered!

I'm especially thankful for challenges which push me to be better, to rely on God more and on myself less, and to see just what I can overcome.  I am grateful that I am blessed in more ways than I can count-there is just so much to be thankful for.  I am astounded when I hear people who say that they need to be reminded of their blessings by a holiday!  If we all focused more on our blessings in our daily lives, maybe we would all be a little happier.  After all, it's really hard to be negative when your focused on the positive items in life.