Thanksgiving

For the last couple weeks, I kept seeing people's 30 days of thanks status updates pop up on Facebook.  I decided (you know, in my infinitesimal wisdom) that it had become "trendy" and that I don't generally "do" trendy.  And then the ridiculousness of that thought occurred to me.  Really?  Who am I?  I kind of wanted to throw up a little bit just admitting that.  People are finding something everyday to be thankful for!  And what am I doing?  I am being high and mighty, and in the meantime, setting aside no time or energy to be thankful.  Ridiculous, yes?

I follow a blog here, and she has a post today about being appreciative, and I couldn't help but share these words written by the eloquent author:

As much I like to say I am striving to grasp what really matters, I need reminders. Reminders that take my breath away … reminders that drop me to my knees and shake me from my selfish, materialistic fog … reminders that send me running to my children’s bedrooms to cry silent tears while listening to their beat of their hearts.

Truth be told, I need reminders to see the gifts of my life in the mundane … to be thankful for the ordinary events of my day—that if I actually stop to think about them—are really quite miraculous.

I need reminders that motivate me to be in a perpetual state of gratitude, not just on Thanksgiving Day.

So, on this Thanksgiving Eve, here are a few things I am truly Thankful for, that I needed a harsh reminder to get me out of my own "fog" to meditate on:

• For Jesus.  This is not a cliche.  He is my SAVIOR.  My life would be so radically different - and not in a good way - if He hadn't called me to himself that incredible moment 11 years ago.
• For my husband.  God gave me an incredible gift in this man who is everything God knew I needed in this life.  
• For my sweet, sweet Nora.  My amazing daughter who teaches me everyday how to love in new ways, who teaches me to marvel at God's designs and creations as she changes in a million ways every minute of every day.  For the woman who made the choice to bring her into this world and bless our family with the biggest gift we've ever received.
• For a home, a job, and all the materialistic things that God has given me for today.  A friend recently told me (when I selfishly chattered on about how we paid for our adoption, and then immediately needed a new car, and then our dryer started making terrible noises) about how we live in a broken world.  So, why are we surprised when things break?  It doesn't matter, because we have all we need.
• For friends who are like family and know me deeply and intimately, and family who possesses my identity and history in ways no one else can.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!