Happy Thanksgiving

I received this email a couple of weeks ago. Thought it was appropriate to share on Thanksgiving.

I AM THANKFUL:
FOR THE WIFE
WHO SAYS IT'S HOT DOGS TONIGHT,
BECAUSE SHE IS HOME WITH ME,
AND NOT OUT WITH SOMEONE ELSE .


FOR THE HUSBAND
WHO IS ON THE SOFA
BEING A COUCH POTATO,
BECAUSE HE IS HOME WITH ME
AND NOT OUT AT THE BARS.


FOR THE TEENAGER
WHO IS COMPLAINING ABOUT DOING DISHES
BECAUSE IT MEANS SHE IS AT HOME,
NOT ON THE STREETS.

FOR THE TAXES I PAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM EMPLOYED .


FOR THE MESS TO CLEAN AFTER A PARTY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE
BEEN SURROUNDED BY FRIENDS.

FOR THE CLOTHES THAT FIT A LITTLE TOO SNUG
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE ENOUGH TO EAT.



FOR MY SHADOW THAT WATCHES ME WORK
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM OUT IN THE SUNSHINE


FOR A LAWN THAT NEEDS MOWING,
WINDOWS THAT NEED CLEANING,
AND GUTTERS THAT NEED FIXING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE A HOME

FOR ALL THE COMPLAINING
I HEAR ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT
BECAUSE IT MEANS
WE HAVE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. ..


FOR THE PARKING SPOT
I FIND AT THE FAR END OF THE PARKING LOT
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM CAPABLE OF WALKING
AND I HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH TRANSPORTATION .

FOR MY HUGE HEATING BILL
BECAUSE IT MEANS
I AM WARM.

FOR THE LADY BEHIND ME IN CHURCH
WHO SINGS OFF KEY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I CAN HEAR.


FOR THE PILE OF LAUNDRY AND IRONING
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE CLOTHES TO WEAR.


FOR WEARINESS AND ACHING MUSCLES
AT THE END OF THE DAY
BECAUSE IT MEANS I HAVE BEEN
CAPABLE OF WORKING HARD.


FOR THE ALARM THAT GOES OFF
IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS
BECAUSE IT MEANS I AM ALIVE.

AND I AM THANKFUL:
FOR THE crazy people I work with
BECAUSE they make work interesting and fun!

AND FINALLY, FOR TOO MUCH E-MAIL

BECAUSE IT MEANS
I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE THINKING OF ME.

Thanksgiving

WOW! I CAN NOT believe that Thanksgiving is next week. Boy, time sure does fly by. I remember people telling me when I was in high school that once I graduated time would seem to never stop-how true.

Briggs has been learning about Thanksgiving at school (MMO) and yesterday Aaron said something to him about Thanksgiving and he said, "I'm thankful for you and mommy, my sissy (eaden), my Caden, my papa, and my gigi." Talk about melting the heart! I asked his teacher about it today and she said he said all of that in class all by himself! :) :) :)

A few (very few) of the things I'm thankful for:
1. A wonderful husband
2. a sweet little 3 year old son
3. family
4. friends
5. a great church
6. a job
7. food to eat
8. a place to live
9. a car to drive
10. a loving heavenly father who loves me despite it all!!

Don't forget to give thanks during this time of year - most of us don't; however, don't forget to give thanks all year round. There are places in our world where they don't have running water for toilets - something we all probably take for granted everyday. Don't just give thanks for the "big" things, but remember the small things as well.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

Now go eat some turkey!

That Ain't My Truck

That's a title to an old country song I used to like! It keeps running through my head as I am trying to go to sleep tonight! I am reminded that "that ain't my [car]" sitting at 108 Kelly Lane anymore. People keep telling me that it looks funny when they go by and see someone else's car there. Tell me about. Although it is a HUGE blessing and answer to prayer, I can't help but be somewhat sad at the same time. We lived there for nearly 7 years - almost our whole marriage up to this point, so there are lots of memories there. Like when Aaron painted the living room while I was in Brazil and surprised me when I got home. Or bringing Briggs home there for the first time and thinking about all the blood, sweat, and tears that went into his room (literally - Aaron painted and built the window seat/cabinet that was in there). And then I am reminded that it is just a location - a place built with wood and plaster and whatever else goes into building a house. It is only temporary. I wonder if Jesus is in heaven painting my room to surprise me when I get there? Probably not, but then again, I wouldn't put it past Him because He is so awesome! At any rate, I know that my home in heaven is eternal. And no, "that ain't my truck" parked at 108 Kelly Lane anymore, but maybe I have one parked outside my mansion waiting on me in eternity!

Hmmmm ....

Well, where do I begin? I guess I should note that I am back up online! It really is hard to go without internet in today's society b/c we all communicate via email, facebook, etc so much.

Election day - It looks as if McCain is not going to win. I could be wrong, but at this hour (11:00 pm), the prediction is that Obama will be our new president. I must be reminded that God is in control. Although I prayed and prayed that McCain would be in the White House, my plans are not God's plans and He knows best. I do pray, however, that He will continue to have His hand upon a nation that has turned our backs to Him. It's official - just announced on NBC that Obama is the 44th president of the US. Wow. I can't believe it - although I really saw it coming. I'm very disappointed that our country can't see past the facade that he puts on. Anyway, enough of politics! I'm sure we are all TIRED of it. :)

So I started cleaning out some more boxes today. I must continually get rid of stuff that I've kept over the course of my life - especially if I am going to move in to a 800 sq. ft apartment! Tonight I worked on the New Kids On The Block stuff. My parents must have spent thousands of dollars on that junk. Posters, buttons, towels, pillowcases, sleeping bags, magazines, books, dolls, videos, cds - I could go on and on. As I was cleaning and remembering and seeing the obsession that I had with them, it made me stop and ask myself the question, "What if I had that kind of obsession with the Lord Jesus Christ?" I certainly don't think there's anything wrong with a childhood fantasy or love for a favorite group, but I seriously think I was overboard. I wonder how my life would have played out differently if I had focused all that time and energy on Jesus rather than on NKOTB? I guess it just made me realize that I tend to focus on so many other things around me that I tend to forget about Jesus until I really need Him. Am I the only one? I must say, however, that I have become closer to Him in the last 6 months to year than I think I have ever been. But I must not become lazy, stagnant, oblivious to the fact that I NEED Jesus daily, minute by minute, second by second. Don't we all?