I Am So Thankful

I Am So Thankful

I tried to write down a few things I am thankful for and quickly realized it is very difficult to limit myself to a few. And, believe me, this is not a complete list.

I am thankful for a God who loved me enough to send His son to be wounded for my transgressions and who promises me life everlasting - in His presence -- when this life is over.

I am thankful for a family that continues to put up with me despite of all the mistakes I've made and wrong directions I've led them down.

I am thankful for my wife, Laura, who is a better judge of most situations than I and who continues to help me become a better me.

I am thankful for Amy, who is living a happy and successful life with her husband Stephen in the high desert of northern Arizona, has grown into a very capable and responsible adult, and who isn't too proud to call and ask our opinion when she faces a dilemma of some sort.

I am thankful for Angela, who continues to impress me with her inner wisdom, and whose love and dedication for her friends and the little ones she works with is totally inspiring to not only me, but to others as well.

I am thankful for Bethany, who lives in the high country of Wyoming with her husband Adam and whose smile and glow can shatter the bonds of even the worst of days.

I am thankful for Jordan, who works hard every day and still finds time to participate in his hobbies, which include hunting, fishing, and fur trapping. I am also thankful for his girlfriend, Jordyn, who seems to help keep him balanced and grounded.

I am thankful for my family roots, which run from the hills of northern Arkansas to the streets of Kansas City and are firmly grounded in the belief that we should live life to the fullest, do no harm to others, and give someone a hand up when they need it.

I am thankful for a church family that loves my family and takes good care of us and prays for us regularly.

I am thankful for all of the friends we have known as well as the churches and fellowships we have been involved with. They have helped to form the "me" I am today (for better or worse).

I am thankful to be employed at a job, outside of the church, that I enjoy and find enormously fulfilling.

I am thankful for the avenues and opportunities I have to express my opinions and beliefs without fear of censure or other retribution.

I am thankful for those folks who meet me in a store or on the street or elsewhere and comment on how much they enjoy The Shepherd's Heart. It makes this endeavor incredibly worthwhile.

And ... I am extremely thankful that, despite what seems to be an agenda by some to throw out the formative and foundational truths of the Constitution of the United States of America, I still live in a country that maintains the freedoms promised in that document.

From my family to yours, have a wonderful Thanksgiving everybody.