Give thanks...

I figured with all the negative stuff that I've posted here lately, it was time to post a positive note.

I'm thankful for so much in my life that I don't know if this blog has ample space to contain it. Most of all, I'm thankful that I have a risen savior, Jesus, and that He loved me enough to die for me.

I'm very thankful that God sent me to Kansas in 1984 to meet my soulmate and that we've had so many wonderful years and happy memories. One year for Father's Day I wrote how thankful I was for him and one dear friend read it on Sunday morning in church. I wish I'd kept a copy of it as it was so deep and so much from the heart and I don't think I can re-create it as well as it was expressed the first time. DH is my other half, and we complete each other. We finish sentences, think the same things at the same time, start singing the same crazy jingles - or our "own" twist on them - and laugh at each other's antics. We can be as happy sitting side-by-side in silence as we are talking. We don't fight over the remote - he usually defers to me as he knows he'll probably fall asleep anway. We just plain don't fight. In nearly 24 years, I don't think we've had more than 1 or 2 major arguments. We may disagree, and I push him to talk about it, but we just don't fight.

I'm very thankful for my children. They are truly my pride and joy. Oldest DS has accomplished a great deal with many, many challenges that he had to overcome; he became a nuclear power mechanic in the Navy when many people (his parents included) didn't think he'd make it through boot camp - not because he's not smart, but because he wasn't disciplined. DD had to be the "oldest" many times and take care of her two brothers; she excelled in Navy boot camp and received the Academic Excellence Award; she became a 1st Class Petty Officer very early in her Naval career. Youngest DS had to overcome being the youngest (and sometimes this is hard work living up to everyone else's expectations); he would have followed his siblings into the military except for a serious broken arm which prevents him from being able to perform the physical aspects.

My children are very, very generous. Navy son has brought back many nice souvenirs from his travels for everyone in my family - brothers, sisters, my parents, and a niece. None of these items were cheap and all were thought of with the recipient in mind. After my father passed away, he bought my mother a new computer when hers quit working. He's upgraded mine in the past. He bought his dad a Jenn Air gas grill. He's bought his siblings nice gifts at Christmas. He just doesn't have a selfish bone in his body when it comes to giving to others.

DD has also been very giving. She helped support us in 1999 and 2000 when things were so bad. She's let us use her credit in the past to help re-establish our own. She sees a need in the community (or our church) and she's trying to find a way to take care of it, even if it comes out of her own pocket. She's compassionate and doesn't want to see anyone suffer or do without. When she was in high school, working part-time, she adopted a child through Children International.

Youngest son hasn't yet experienced the financial rewards his two older siblings have, but what he's shown is just as important. He has compassion for others. He has spent time with the elderly when we visited nursing homes or when we lived next door to elderly people. He volunteered one semester at our church daycare working with the children. He's volunteered to do many things that I am sure I don't even know about. He's championed those who were being attacked by others. He participates in fencing bouts in Renaissance Fairs - and he's very good at it. Now, he's the computer repair person in the family. We'd be in a world of hurt without his technical knowledge.

I'm thankful for my friends. I have some very dear friends I've had for decades (don't want to give our exact ages by saying just how many decades!). I've got some new friends I feel like I've known all my life. Friends come into our lives for a reason - for a season - or for a lifetime. (I don't know who wrote that, but it's so beautiful and very profound.) I'm thankful to say I've got some of those lifetime friends.

I'm also very thankful for another friend - our chiropractor! He's kept me painfree (as much as possible) for over 20 years. He's helped us out a great deal over the years and we don't do enough to thank him for his efforts. He's come to our house to treat us when we were in too much pain to come to his office. He's even come to our house when we neglected to come to his office for treatment. Too bad there's not more people like him in the world!

I'm thankful for my job. It helps provide a roof over our heads, clothes on our backs, and food on the table. I'm thankful it gives me gas money. I'm thankful that it's fairly flexible and I can work around doctors' appointments if I need to.

I'm thankful for my grandchildren. If I'd know how much fun they were going to be, I'd have had them first. LOL!

I'm thankful for my stepchildren and for my husband's ex-wife. They make a great extension to our family and I can't imagine how life the last 24 years would have been without them.

I'm thankful for so much that I could just go on and on - but I think you see that God has been really good to me and provided for me better than I could have done it without Him.

So, I want to take this time to give thanks to all who have helped me along the path to where I am now. I can't imagine how I would have had any better life if I'd done it differently. My life would be so empty without you all. May God richly bless you all in everything - EVERYTHING - that you do!