Be Thankful

Each year in September I remove from storage my fall decorations.  Replicas of Pilgrims, Indians, and a harvest of food cover the mantle above our fireplace.  About every year a new set of pilgrims and/or Indians are added to my ever growing population.  Pilgrims and Indians represent a time of thankfulness.

As I see those pilgrims and Indians today, I recall my third grade elementary teacher making an assignment for us to write ten blessings we are thankful for in our neatest handwriting. I would have rather colored a turkey.  “Every one of you has something to write on this paper!” the teacher confidently said.  At that time in my life, I took so many aspects of my life for granted that I did not write much on the paper.  As I matured, I realized that I do have a tremendous amount of blessings to thank God for. Now I keep a journal in which I write at least 2-3 times per week.  In these writings I include a blessing count. 

Being thankful should be an every day habit.  If I were to do the assignment given by my third grade teacher today, it would be difficult to only write ten blessings.  Here is my top ten for 2011:  1) being married to a great guy for 30 wonderful years, 2) having three great kids who are wise and fun to be with, 3) having a wonderful church family who pray for us, 4) God healing Hannah, my youngest daughter, of a severe virus, 5) our Team National Family and coaching from a great friend and business partner, 6) God's protection over Jeff and his cousin, Nick during the tornadoes in Joplin, 7) growing into a stronger person/better Christian (confident, bold, assertive, excited leader), 8) Steve’s Mom and my parents, 9) Jane’s healing from cancer, and 10) God saving Hannah’s friend, Jorden.

God is so good!!! 

Lastly, I am sharing that even when life seems to be a challenge and I have to search for something to be thankful for.  I find something to be thankful for.  These challenges mold us into the vessel God wants us to be, unless we decide to become bitter instead of better.  I love this old hymn written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. and Edwin O. Excell.  This is the first verse and chorus.

Count Your Blessings 

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed.

When you are discouraged thinking all is lost,

Count your many blessings; name them one by one,

And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings name them one by one

Count your many blessings see what God hath done.

This coming week is Thanksgiving.  Share with me something you are thankful for.