Thanksgiving 2013

On this day of thankfulness I take a pause, because I’ve been going 90 to nothing here on the blog, and give thanks for many things, in no particular order.

The default for any Christian is to give thanks for the saving grace of Christ.  Part of me wants to leave that as an assumed, but it doesn’t necessarily go without saying so I won’t.  If you are a Christian don’t take it for granted.

A church family.  Not just a place I show up each week and sing some songs with friends.  Not just a place to hear a sermon on how to have a better life.  I’m talking about a church family that gets down in the mud and muck of life together.  A church where Christ is central to everything and the Bible is taken seriously.  We face problems together.  We celebrate life together.  We lean on each other in the good times and bad.  We learn from each other.  We would be remiss if we stopped there though.  It isn’t enough to become a grounded community if we aren’t inviting others to join us or sharing the hope we have with the world around us.  I’m thankful for a church that does all of that.

My wife of 13 years.  She has made me and continues to make me want to be a better husband and man.

Family, the one I was born into, the one I married into, and the ones that have let me be a part since high school and college.

Friends at work present and past.  Friends via the internet.

A job that I actually enjoy going to(not just the present one, but ones past as well).  No matter what happens for the foreseeable future I will need to work and I could be working in a job that I absolutely abhor, but if we need the money a job is a job.  I’ve been blessed to work in a field I studied for and for which I was gifted with knowledge.

That leads me to:  The God given ability to solve problems, specifically IT problems, and a bulldog’s tenacity to find the solution.

Music.

Coffee.

The freedom to write this blog, to maintain a music blog, and to write for a third website.  This kind of ties back to the whole liking my job.  I’ve been fortunate in that none of my jobs in IT have required massive amounts of overtime.  I don’t know if that’s a product of not pushing myself for a higher position or a blessing from God or both.  Whatever the case I have time to do things like record a weekly podcast, write, read, study, learn guitar, or whatever else.  I know that it may change in the future, for a variety of reasons, but I am thankful for it now.

Books.

My health.  I’m not saying I’m the picture of total wellbeing.  There is weight to be lost and I could stand to get into shape.  I’m not plagued with chronic illness though.  I don’t fight cancer or a disease of some kind.  Odds are that I won’t always be able to say that, but I’ve been blessed with good health and I don’t want to waste it while I have it.

Cool autumn breezes.

Paid Time Off.

The truth is I have been blessed in many ways.  I haven’t always seen it and I need to stop and recognize it else I take it for granted.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

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