I’m thankful for family. I’m thankful for the sense of belonging, for the closeness, and for the coming together in tough times. My family lost someone we love this week: a loving husband, a great father, and a fun filled grandpa. It’s not easy to say goodbye. It helps to remember the times we spent together and the many ways he made life enjoyable. My dad was always teasing us, playing little jokes, saying outrageous things to get a reaction. He had a great sense of humor and was able to laugh at almost anything. We loved him for that. Mere words could never capture the essence of my dad, but he was someone I admired, someone I loved, and is someone I will miss dearly. I’m thankful for the time we had together.
Our God is a good, good Father. He has so many good things planned for us. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” (James 1:17) One of His perfect gifts: love. It was always His plan for love to be strong. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” And continuing to 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” So let’s follow the lead of our Heavenly Father, and love one another deeply, cherishing the time we have together, and creating memories that last a lifetime. I’m thankful for the perfect gift of love.
I’m thankful I live in a small town. Most of the people in a small town will never make the national news, but that doesn’t stop them from making a difference in the lives of the people around them. By leading with their hearts, they change their corner of the world. Recently, there was a family who lost their home and possessions to a house fire. The school district came together and donated appliances, furniture, household items, and bags and bags filled with clothes for all members of the family. Another town put together a Thanksgiving food bank for those who couldn’t afford to make that dinner for their families. Many churches are packing Christmas shoeboxes full of presents to be sent to needy children around the world. High school students are collecting items for the Ronald McDonald House, and middle school students are collecting canned goods for a local food bank. The list of giving goes on and on.
I’m thankful for the beauty in nature. Psalm 96:11-12 says, “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.” That’s a great idea-to celebrate God’s creation. I’ve been blessed to travel to a number of amazing places in the United States and it’s impossible to pinpoint a favorite. Northern California with its vistas overlooking the sparkling waters of the Pacific, Lake Tahoe’s mountain views surrounded by gigantic pine trees, and the majestic mountains of Yosemite National Park are breathtaking. Seeing waterfalls flow down a river in Virginia, watching a sunrise fill the Grand Canyon, and hiking in the Green Mountains of Vermont are awe-inspiring. The list goes on and on and in each is seen the handiwork of God.
I’m thankful for weekends. I have a great job that I enjoy and get incredible satisfaction from doing, but there’s something to be said for a little ‘downtime’. The weekend may bring time with family, time with friends, or time with the washer and dryer. It could be filled with errands or filled with chores at home. But there’s a particular part of the weekend I always look forward to: the time of rest. Weekdays have meetings, deadlines, and demands, but the weekend-that’s the time to breathe. On the weekend I’m hooked up to a battery charger; the downtime gives me the energy to start another week. I’m grateful for time off and a little rest.
I’m thankful for children. I’m thankful for the innocent way they look at life, and their excitement in every little thing. Recently I took my nephews for a walk through the woods on a perfect fall day. As we entered the woods with the canopy of trees overhead and the path an array of color from the fallen leaves, I heard, “I really love this place. It’s beautiful.” Indeed it was. Everything we saw caused wonder: a few small acorns that the squirrels missed, small stones to throw in the water, fallen trees to try to walk on, and big sticks to carry. Joy, wonder, and anticipation of the next adventure are seen through the eyes of a child.
I’m thankful for music. I’m thankful that one song can magically lift your spirits and change your entire outlook in an instant. One of my favorite memories is of my mom, my niece Savana, and I in the car singing together. We’d sing at the top of our lungs, then erupt in fits of laughter. Suffice it to say we’re not expecting to win any voice competitions but we’d get points for high energy and strong teamwork. My niece Taylor and I have a song too. When it comes on the radio our eyes light up and we jump right into the lyrics. Personally, I think we’d make great back-up singers, because we even have a few moves to compliment the song. My nephew Benjamin loves to dance, so we’ve ‘busted a few moves’ together. Ben can’t help it, his little body just starts wiggling when he hears a song. It’s a proven fact, our joy increases when we hear music.
I am fortunate to drive a car that is very reliable, 99% of the time. One Saturday it didn’t start when I was headed to a toddler’s birthday party. That’s bad timing! I called a towing company and they arrived three hours later. They determined it was just a dead battery, so they jumped it and off they went. I left immediately for a late arrival to the party but had to stop for gas and the battery instantly died there. Can you guess what happened the next place I went? (If you guessed dead battery, you get the prize today. It’s found in the next paragraph so keep reading). The car was eventually taken into the shop where it received a whole new battery. Not having a faithful car, (for even just a day), led to one disappointment after another.
Early in the morning as I drive to work each day, I see someone walking their dog. It’s pitch black outside, and more than a little chilly that time of day, and yet someone is faithfully walking the family pet. The best part about seeing the pair is watching as the flashlight being carried carves a path of light in the darkness. Every step their feet, (and paws), takes is illuminated by one small flashlight. “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” (John 1:5)
One year, my family took a vacation to Lake Tahoe. We lugged a variety of suitcases and backpacks through the airport to check-in. As we stood in the long line waiting, we watched as dozens of bags were weighed, identifications shown, and seat assignments given. When we finally got to the front of the line, they weighed my sister-in-law’s bag and discovered it was too heavy to meet the weight requirements. So right there in front of everyone she had to open her luggage and lighten the load. Digging through well-packed clothes, carefully placed shoes, and strategically placed accessories, she decided what items would be left behind. Quite frankly, she really wanted to take it all with her.