Thank full. The day of Thanksgiving is upon us and I have to admit, it’s snuck up on me. I resisted the urge to write a holiday themed post this morning, but over the past day or so I’ve been reminded that I have much to be thankful for and rarely am I voicing my appreciation. This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it a “top (insert number)” list. It’s merely a list of the things at the forefront of my mind.

In your face. This is the only way my family knows how to operate. We are either smothering one another or staging some new Cold War (happens rarely). But I’m deeply grateful for this. It sounds obtrusive and cumbersome, but it’s not at all. My family, my mom, dad, sister and brother, are always staying in contact with me, trying to get every bit of detail of my life, figuring out how things are really going and I love it. It shows me that they care and care enough to roll up their sleeves and live life with me, all of it. And I don’t make it easy.

Fruitful labor. One, I have a job. I never thought that’d be a big deal, but there are many who don’t and I realize that I’m fortunate for that fact alone. Two, I have a job working with fun and interesting people, doing something that is also stimulating. I think this aspect is both rarer and more overlooked. The people alone make my job. My manager, my coworkers have me looking forward to getting to work most days (it wouldn’t be work if I were excited everyday) just to see what will be said or done that day.

Let freedom ring. Say what you want about our government, but even today they are working hard (despite how it may seem) to keep us free and safe. I believe I take this for granted every day I open my Bible without a second thought and read and contemplate my faith. On the other side of the freedom coin, I’m grateful for God. I’m feeling particularly blessed to have a God who welcomes my questions and doubts and greets me with open arms, abundant grace. I have a God who has freed me to struggle with my faith, not trapped me so that I must struggle to be free. I’m very unlovable sometimes, but He reminds me often that He hasn’t and won’t give up on me.

There are so many more things I can add, but it would quickly become a laundry list. Plus, there’s family to go see. If you’re not there already or if you can’t see your family, please go see some friends and soon. Barge in. Make the awkward phone call. Just go and watch football if there’s not enough food. The main point is find some people, some person, and spend some time with them. Let them know in the midst of the chit chat you’re grateful for them. Then, when you go home, rinse and repeat the next day and the next. You’ll find you’re one step closer to thank full.