My Thankful Thoughts for 2009

For most of us, Thanksgiving is a special time of year to reflect upon things in our lives for which we are thankful. For me, six particular blessings come to mind.

First and foremost, I am thankful for Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He was willing to make for me and everyone else on the planet. I am thankful for the Bible which is a gift from our Heavenly Father and helps to guide us through our life while here on earth.

Second, I am thankful for my beautiful and fabulous family. My husband and I have been happily married for almost 18 years, and I thank God for each day that I am able to share my life with him.

We have three extraordinary children who are like shining lights in our lives. In our opinion, they are the best.

Third, I am thankful for my church family which includes my parents and my mother-in-law. Along with my husband and children, these individuals have been with me through the good times and challenging times in my life. After the birth of my youngest son a few years ago, I went through a period of severe postpartum depression. Through the help and support of my husband, children, parents, mother-in-law, and church family, I was able to get through this difficult time in my life.

Fourth, I am thankful for my many wonderful friends and acquaintances that I have known throughout my life. While I have not had contact with some of these individuals for several years, they helped to shape and influence the person that I am today. Through Facebook, I have been able to reconnect with some of these people, but there are many people whom I remember and have fond memories.

Fifth, I am thankful to live in a country where I have the freedom to practice my Christian faith without fear of being put to death and to educate my children in the way that I see fit. While many individuals may not agree with my religious faith or choice of education for my children, I am just glad that I live in a place where my rights to engage in these activities is protected.

Sixth, I am thankful for our military men and women who have made great sacrifices to protect our freedom in this country. Many of these individuals have had to be a way from their families and loved ones, and some have even given their very lives to keep us safe and to enable us to live our lives in the way that we choose to do so. Where would we Americans be today if it had not been for the many military men and women who were willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to defend our nation?

This Thanksgiving, take time to give thanks for all of the wonderful things in your life. No matter how bad things may seem, you can always find at least one thing for which to be thankful.