Thankful

My dictionary app defines thankful as feeling or showing gratitude.  Well, I feel thankful for just about everything and everyone in my life.  And I try to show that.  As Thanksgiving approaches, I thought I'd list a few of the most important things.


First and foremost, I am thankful for a forgiving and merciful God.  No matter how many mistakes I make, He doesn't care.  He will always open his arms to me and let me fall at his feet.

Secondly, my family.  For reasons related to forgiveness among many others.  They may have been disappointed in me at times, but they always forgive.  I love the different traits I inherited from past generations.  My pure love of music definitely comes from both sides.  My ability to retain useless but fun facts mostly involving movies or tv is something my dad gave me.  And trying to see things objectively from a psychological standpoint definitely comes from my mom.  They shaped me into the person I am today and while there were many bumps along the way, I know I ended up where I was supposed to be.  I can't finish this without also adding my bff in this.  Because, let's face it, she IS my family.  Rachel, you truly get me like no one else.  It is absolutely true that God places people in your path and if we ever get to make a trip to New York, we HAVE to go to Serendipity.

Third...obviously, my kids.  Theona Grace, Kaden Christopher, Paxton William.  My beautiful, amazing kids.  Each one of them, unique.  I couldn't imagine my life without them.  Sometimes I long for my care-free, no-routine days.  When I could just leave the house and see a movie on a whim.  But the fact that I get to spend my time with them is the biggest blessing in my life.

And to end this list, much like I began it...I am so thankful for my church.  TDF has been in my life almost as long as I've been alive.  Words that describe my feelings towards this particular church body include lucky, grateful, unworthy and cared for.  I am lucky to have them in my life.  Grateful that their doors are open as often as they can be.  Unworthy of the amazing blessings I've received from them.  And cared for by so many wonderful people.  And the icing on the cake, the music ministry is beyond words.  To be in a choir that sings weekly is awesome.  I relish in looking out at the congregation as we sing those old familiar hymns and the new and lyrically driven contemporaries.  I can't tell you how much I appreciate being able to express my feelings in song.

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  All of the family time and great food with none of the pressure to give gifts.  Don't get me wrong.  I love being able to celebrate Christ's birth a month later.  But that's something I try to do year round and sometimes it gets lost in all of the hustle and bustle.  Not that I'm not thankful year round.  But could you imagine getting together for turkey and stuffing with your family every week?! 

Cutting room floor of this blog:  I'm also thankful for books.  Music, in general.  Having been a part of the marching band, choir, lacrosse team, jazz band, folk group and school paper at Father Ryan.  Movies.  Favorite shows like Veronica Mars, Grey's, Gilmore Girls, Parenthood, Law & Order: SVU and all that trashy reality stuff that you're not really supposed to like but you just can't help it.  Fall.  Being creative.  Having a positive attitude and disposition.  Some may be shallow, but I say it just makes me a well-rounded person. ;)