Being Grateful

I try really hard not to post my life on facebook. In fact, I do my very best to keep the status updates to a bare minimum. Only the really exciting facts and Biblical inspiration do I put on my wall. So even though it’s November and everyone – and I mean everyone, because you are probably included in this – is posting something they are thankful for every day, I have not. Now, I probably look like the Thanksgiving Scrooge (I couldn’t think of a Thanksgiving character that was a grouch). I haven’t posted a single thing about what I’m thankful for. But I am. I mean I am thankful for a lot. Who isn’t? Everyone has something to be thankful for, even those who we think don’t. For instance, everyone has air to breath. Everyone who is on this earth woke up this morning. Those are two things to be thankful for.

Even though I haven’t been posting on the World Wide Web what I am thankful for each day, I have been keeping a mental account of each thing I am grateful for. Originally I was going to create a new family tradition: write something you are thankful each day on a paper leaf to be added to a Thanksgiving banner. Cute idea right? I thought so too. Unfortunately, my husband thought it to be a great idea but didn’t intended to do it. The idea is a bit childish...Parents do things like that…And that is one thing I am not. So Thanksgiving-thankful banner will on my future checklist for when I do have kids.

Since I didn’t do the banner thing I decided to write down things I am thankful on here. After all, there are people I would like to express my gratitude towards and why not post it for the whole world to see.

We are on Day 19 so I will tell you 19 things:

19. To be surrounded by God’s beauty. My home is nestled in the countryside on the outskirts of a city. Instead of hearing the sirens wailing, the traffic speeding by and seeing into my neighbor’s window, I get to enjoy the wonders of colors, rolling hills and farmland.

18. My home. I’m so grateful to be able to have a roof over my head. There are many people without one and I am blessed enough to not just have a roof, but several spacious rooms that can be filled with family and friends.

17. My in-laws. A lot of people have strained relationships with their spouse’s family, but I love mine. They have accepted me flaws and all with open arms. I love them dearly and am grateful to have such wonderful parents who raised a wonderful man.

16. My job teaching. Even though it’s just part time, I am so thrilled to be able to get up every morning, drive to a school I love, and work with the students I’ve grown to care about as if they were my own.

15. To be a member of a church that is passionate helping others come to know the Lord and then mentoring them so that they too can grow in a deeper relationship with Him. Not only that, but that it is filled with friends that I consider to more than family just in Christ.

14. For our military. I’m beyond grateful to have men and women willing to sacrifice their time and lives for strangers. Not just them, but also their families who have given up more than most people can understand.

13. To have the ability to prepare a meal every morning and night. Many go without food in their bellies for days, but I have been blessed to enjoy a hearty meal three times a day and snack in between.

12. I am thankful that my husband has a full time job. Not just a job that pays the bills, but also one that he enjoys.

11. For my education. I am grateful that I was given the privilege to have a k-12 education and then a college education. I even was able to take classes that weren’t necessary for my degree, but for my enjoyment. Also, I have the new opportunity to take classes online for my love of writing. I love learning and I’m definitely grateful that God has given us the ability to obtain knowledge.

10. My grandparents. Not only have I been able to get to know one set of grandparents, but I grew up getting to spend lots of time with both of my father’s parents and my mothers, and then both great grandmothers on my mother’s side, and finally I was able to meet my great great grandmother. 

All of my grandparents are extremely wise and strong, with rich stories to tell. I will always cherish the memories of bacon frying, the smell of maple syrup and pancakes wafting to the back bedroom before the sun has risen. Then crawling out of bed to enjoy a breakfast fit for kings prepared by Ma’s hands. Being chased around the house by my Pa as I squealed trying to keep him from getting his CAT cap back. Then cuddling up to my Gigi while watching Scooby-Doo and helping her grade 4^th grade papers. And laughing (also, collapsing) as Papa tried to make me go down the stairs to the basement to turn the lights on, just after he told me a story of Rawhead and Bloodybones who lived down there. They are wonderful memories - funny, special, emotional, and precious.

 9. For Jordan – aka practically my future sister-in-law. I think that’s okay to state online. After all she’s practically family. You’d have to agree since she moved all the way from California to the South just to put up with my pigheaded brother. I am thankful for her for multiple reasons. One, I have another best friend and sister that I have things in common with and adore. Second, because she is my brother’s anchor. I am so grateful that she not only came into my life, but first and foremost my brother’s because she is a Godsend to him (and our family).

8. My sister, Hannah. For years I prayed for God to give me a sister. First I got a second brother, then finally…FINALLY, he gave me a little sister. A real life baby doll at first, then an annoying little kid who always got into my things and made me chase her down the drive way in my p.j.’s when I was twelve while the neighborhood teenage boys stared and laughed, and now a best friend for life. I wouldn’t trade her for anything in the world. I am glad that she came into the world when she did. She brought some sanity to my boy filled life and nursed the frustration of living with brothers by creating some humor.

7. My brother David. When he first came into the world I did not shed happy tears. The opposite. I thought not another brother! But I soon realized that God had given me a sibling that was more like me than our mischievous Sam. I’m grateful to have such a tall shoulder to lean on, a brother who gets me, and can share a joke. Also, he is a nice distraction from Sam’s tomfoolery.

6. For Sam – the brother I’ve already spoken of. Despite all the pranks, tears, and menacing acts I truly love him and I’m so glad that I have him. I seriously couldn’t imagine growing up without him beside me. He has kept life interesting and a challenge and will continue to do as such. I am thankful to have him not only as a brother, but also as one of my heroes.

5. I am grateful to blessed with a terrific father. Say what you will, but my Dad is the best Daddy in the world – and yes, I still call him Daddy. He is a wonderful example of leadership, hardworking, God fearing, compassion, and strength. My Dad never has put his needs before others. He spent hours working to provide for our family to either come home and play with his children, see his wife, or coach our soccer teams, watch every dance recital, and intimidate every date who came calling. I’m especially grateful for his intimidation, because of his overprotective nature he warded off all the wrong guys so that God could provide the right man.

4. My mother. Words cannot express how grateful I am to have such a terrific Mom. She is completely selfless. She brought four children into the world, sacrificing her career to raise us all up in a Christian home and teaching us our education until we each graduated. She has acted as not only Mom, but nurse, teacher, chauffer, counselor, chef, banker, etc. And now she is the best friend that I can’t hardly go a day without talking to. I have learned so much from her and don’t believe any other mother could have done better with the zoo she had to deal with day in and day out. She is a miracle worker for sure.

3. I am blessed to have the Word of the Lord at my fingertips. Anytime I can open up my Bible and hear God speak. I thankful to live in a day where I own my own copy that can be read at anytime and anywhere.

2. I am thankful that God granted me with a wonderful husband. Never did I imagine to be blessed with such a great man who loves me unconditionally. Since the moment he came into my life I knew I wouldn’t have to live my life alone. I have him to grow old with and I look forward to it. He is hardworking, a man after God’s heart, sacrificing, loving, and definitely humorous. I can’t imagine spending my life with anyone else.

1. Finally, first and foremost, I am grateful for my Savior. I am grateful that He has shown mercy on a sinner like me, that He gave up His own life so that I might spend eternity to with. He alone is someone worthy to be grateful and praiseworthy of.