Belated Thanksgivings

I just saw that my last post was at the end of October! This is what happens as the semester draws to a close. I'm busy grading research papers, and getting ready for the holidays, and my birthday arrives, and the getting ready for end-of-the-year stuff at church and work, and before I know it, the semester is over and we're facing the Christmas/New Year holidays!

So I missed blogging over Thanksgiving. And since I did, I'm going to have a brief entry here about what I'm thankful for. I heard a story on NPR with Maya Angelou about her being mopey one day about the state of the world, and her son gave her paper and a pen and had her start a list about all that she was grateful for. She went back to that list whenever she started to feel sorry for herself, or bad about all the events in the world she had no control over. I think it's a good practice, and even thought Thanksgiving is over, we should all take time to make such a list.

1. my family, immediate and not-so-immediate, in-laws and those members I adopt
2. my friends at church, work, from writing circles, from past lives as a student
3. all the students whose lives I've touched, whether I knew it or not, whether they realized it at the time or later
4. my opportunities to love others, from the acquaintances who just need a smile, to those who I get to share the most intimate moments
5. my work which changes, challenges, excites, frustrates, teaches, and expands me
6. my talents from writing to cooking to crafts to telling silly jokes and making fun of myself
7. my faith that upholds me when times are tough, and reminds me that I am not and never will be alone or unloved
8. the opportunity to worship in that faith in a country that allows me to do so freely
9. my voice and thoughts which I am blessed to have full use of in the United States
10. my home, my pets, and the food that's in my cupboard and fridge
11. music, art, literature, plays, all the creative ways that people express themselves
12. caring people who will smile back at me, say a word or two, and remind me that God is in everyone
13. the painful parts of life, without which I would take all the good times for granted
14. Christmas lights, chocolate, hot cider and good wine!
15. the people who I pray for each night, people I don't even know and who I will never meet, but who need my prayers, and the prayers of others.

This list could go on and on, but it's a start. I hope in this season when we tend to rush around, you will think about your own list, and what is important to you. Blessings!