Things I am Thankful For

Gratitude is something we should be feeling all the time, not just in November, but Thanksgiving always makes us think just a little bit more about those things we are thankful for.  There is so much in my life that I am grateful for, so bear with me as I make my way through the incomplete list of 20 things I'm thankful for in no particular order.

1. Jesus. That he would come to die in my place, save me, and allow me to live eternally with him and everyone else that believes in him. I could never be thankful enough for God’s grace through Jesus Christ.
2. Life. How cool is it to know that everyday is a new day and I am alive to enjoy it?!!
3. My Husband. He's my best friend; from him I get unconditional love and acceptance, and he always makes me feel like I'm special and liked. I'm the luckiest girl in the world.
4. My Family. I'm thankful to be related to very loving, supportive people. All of my family is special to me. My Mom enabled me to experience many things. She gave me everything she possibly could ... and even some things she probably couldn't. My whole family encouraged me to develop my talents and to embellish my weaknesses.
5. My Friends. If I named them all individually, from wonderful acquaintances to tried and true friends, I'd have a list a mile long. I truly value my friends and will never have "enough" or too many.
6. Being a nice person. I'm hardly perfect, but it's good to know in my heart that I'm a kind person. I'd never intentionally hurt anyone. I don't believe in being mean. I hate to see anyone cry and love to see people smile.
7. My Dog! Diesel is always there to greet me and wags his tail, even when I'm grumpy. I know he won't be with us forever, but I cherish the time we've spent together and the time we still have. There's nothing like the unconditional love of a dog!!
8. Travel. Thanks to work, good savings and sometimes luck, I have been able to do a lot of traveling in the U.S. , Canada and Mexico.
9. Accomplishing goals: To one degree or another, I tend to follow through on things. I thrive on having goals to strive for and am happy about the fact I've been able to achieve some of them!!
10. Growing up in the country. It is a difficult feeling to explain to someone who hasn't grown up with land to freely roam - the experiences I gained, responsibilities I undertook and fun I had are things that shape who I am today.
11. Being able to laugh. When the going gets tough, I like that I can often smile my way through difficulties and find the bright side.
12. Being financially secure: We're not rich (whatever that is, monetarily speaking), but we're comfortable and have what we need and then some.
13. Good health: Knock on wood. :-)
14. Being an American: Taking nothing away from any other country, I'm just being thankful for my own. It may not be perfect--what place is?--but I love it nonetheless.
15. Memories: It's fun to reminisce. I enjoy looking at pictures and remembering special moments and events. It's also fun to chat about "old times" with others who were there, too.
16. Things to look forward to. I have my whole future to look forward to!
17. All those who've ever served our country. It's an admiral and brave thing to do. Our men and women in uniform, past and present, have, do and will give so much for us all. So do their families.
18. Free Speech. Every person lucky enough to live in a country that protects free speech ought to give thanks for that good fortune every single day. We should never take that luxury for granted.
19. For Starbucks. I love their coffee; I love the atmosphere their coffee shops provide.
20. Seasons and Weather. I am lucky enough to live in the great Pacific Northwest where seasons vary and so does the weather. I wouldn't change it for the world.