I don’t want to leave out the person who has walked this journey of life with me the longest, through hills and valleys, in sicknesses and somewhat healthy times 😉, through thick and thin (literally…). I’m grateful for Tom for all these years we’ve done life together, feeling our way blindly in the dark at times and having a lot of laughs and fun along the way. 🧡

I am so thankful for my daughter-in-law and son-in-law. They have brought so much into our family, and I honestly feel humbled with the honor of being someone they can call family. The love of family carries with it a commitment and responsibility, and it blows me away that I’ve been given the chance to love these two, Legend and Michael.

I’m literally overwhelmed when I think of the blessings of friendships in my life. As I often quote fro my favorite Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, “no man is a failure who has friends.” I am humbled and honored with my heart full from relationships in my life, and though I’ve never “struck it rich” by this world’s standards, I often feel like George Bailey at the end of that movie when George’s brother says he’s “the richest man in town.”

I have so many memories, from my earliest friends in kindergarten all the way through my current workplace friends. I’m grateful for each one. Some friends have been constant, deep, ride or die friends while others have impacted me for a season of life. You’re all treasures and have made my life so much more than I can even fully comprehend.

I’ve spent my entire life as a part of one church or another, to varying degrees. One fact has never changed no matter where I was. The family of God at its best can be relied upon when you’re in need.

This weekend I got to be a part of helping meet the needs of others through our church Thanksgiving food collection. Then, on the flip side, a fellow Christ-follower friend helped us with a leaky pipe and our stuck garage door.

I’m so thankful for the family of God all around this world, and I want to say, this isn’t an exclusive club. All are welcome in this family. It’s simply a matter of turning towards God and choosing to walk towards God everyday.

In my life, God has answered prayers many times. Sometimes the answer was no and sometimes the answer took quite a while to be complete, but nevertheless, I’m thankful for God’s answers.

A lot of prayers were expressed for my firstborn over the years, as most parents would say about each of their children. Yet, there was a time for a couple years that our prayers for Taylor were very concerned with difficulties he faced that the enemy intended to use to tear him down and keep him from fulfilling his calling to teach. BUT GOD…

I’m so thankful for God’s working it all out, though it took a circuitous route for him to become a teacher. Taylor is thriving and making an impact in kid’s lives everyday, and I’m so very proud of him and grateful for God’s grace, mercy, and answers to prayers…

I’ve literally forgotten to write for multiple days now. I was mad at myself when I realized this fact this morning. However, in the great scheme of life, there’s no reason to beat myself up over this.

There have been times in my life when I did wrong and feeling guilt and sorrow for it was appropriate. God, in God’s mercy, has loved me through those times and forgave me. Where would I be without God’s mercy?

I’m grateful for those who have served in our military on behalf of all the rest of us. This includes my Dad, brother-in-law, and nephew included in this great group of men and women, along with numerous friends in my life past and present. My heart is full when I think of all that each of you have given.

My heart was full after I had two baby boys. I had no idea it could make room for loving another baby. God knew differently.

The unexpected gift of a baby girl brought so much to my life, to all our lives in this little family. What a gift! I’ve been thanking God for her for 24 years now💗

One thing is for sure-I’m not used to writing a blogpost every single day. Regardless of that fact, my heart is turning towards gratefulness even when I’ve forgotten to write.

Yesterday was Election Day. I forgot to write but my heart was feeling thankful for freedoms in my life. The freedom to vote, yes, but in general, the freedom to choose given to me by my Creator God.

God could have created me with a predetermined path of only doing what God wanted me to do. Instead, when the Trinity decided to make male and female, they decided to give us free will. God didn’t want mere puppets. God wanted created people to choose to love and follow God. The Creator wanted a relationship with me, with each of us.

So, I’m grateful for choices and freedoms given me to choose. I chose God when I was a child and have made definitive choices to follow Christ and the Spirit several specific times in my life, as well as choosing Love every day as much as I can in my human weaknesses.

I pray I never take all my freedoms for granted.

Today I’m sharing a piece from someone else who is so respected in the faith communities of the world. I share because I am so thankful for the lifegiving relationships and times of fellowship that I’ve been blessed to have in my life over the years. As Buechner says in this article, those who bring life to us are the true saints in this world: