Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving, friends!

In honor of the holiday I'm not going to post about any of the challenges our family, our community, or our country face today.

In fact, one of our coping mechanisms is counting our blessings anyway, and we have plenty of blessings to count.

Today, I'm just thankful.

I'm thankful most of all that God loves me and my sins are forgiven in Jesus' name.
I'm thankful that I can walk, talk, work, and rest.
I'm thankful that there is a roof over my head and there is food in my house and that at least for today I have enough money to pay my bills.
I am thankful that I have a wife who is my best friend.
I am thankful that my children can also walk, talk, work, and rest.
I am thankful for my family, for parents and in-laws and brothers and sisters and cousins and aunts and uncles and nephews and nieces.
I'm thankful for a job where I get along with the people I work with.
I'm thankful for good neighbors.
I'm thankful for the freedoms I enjoy as an American.
I'm thankful for friends with whom I can enjoy doing things.
I'm thankful for books.
I'm thankful for mountains and sunsets and small children and old people and teens and trees and oceans and stars and the moon and dogs and horses and prairies.
I'm thankful for the hope of eternity.
I'm thankful for the promise that God will never leave me.
I'm thankful just to BE.

I'm thankful for you, reading this.  As you face your own challenges, friends, (and I know some of you have some big ones,) I'd encourage you also to take time to be thankful to the One Who gives us all good things.

May He bless you today.