Random Thankfulness…

Thanksgiving is the time of year, when we purposefully as a nation, take time to be thankful by eating more than we should and watching sporting events. All the while driving and visiting relatives, we are thankful for the extended weekend, but most secretly wish they were doing some other activity.

I have much to be thankful for this year! So I thought I’d take a moment and name a few. By the way, I’m starting these in order of priority… and then I’m going “random”… because true thankfulness should an attitude of our heart continually, and not a ritualistic time (although scheduling time for thankfulness is actually a good idea also, but not the point of this post).  So here goes the random thankfulness….

Thankful for…

1. I serve a living God, Jesus Christ, whom I have a relationship with that is as vibrant as it was when I met him 42 years ago! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Hebrews 13:8
2. I’m married to a beautiful woman, and have celebrated 24 years of marriage.
3. I have three children that I’m supremely proud of, and they have always given me reason to be proud they are my children.
4. I pastor a great church, Grace Summit, that has the greatest people, has a new facility, and is in a tremendous growth mode! Very thankful for what the Holy Spirit is doing in our church, our families, and our community.
5. I’m so grateful for all the people that I’ve had the honor of meeting and working with while running for Congress! So glad they have become friends. It was an incredible adventure and one that has expanded my horizons. (Random thankfulness begins now..)
6. That deer that ran in front of my car on Monday of this week, was the fastest animal I’ve ever seen and it missed our vehicle by inches.
7. Also thankful on Monday I was driving our VAN, and had that deer been slower, we would smacked that dumb animal out of the road!
8. 2012 has been the ride of a lifetime! The winds of change, and a year of bizarre provisions from the good hand of God!
9. My Dad & Mom, instilled great values in me!
10. I had the best day today with my son Luke target shooting! He shoots a tight group, and is the best son ever!
11. I live in the greatest nation on earth, and even with all of its ills, millions of people still fight and work to come to the land of opportunity!
12. Music can take me places and bring back memories that are elusive!
13. Writing is again a joy that I can partake of because I have some time again.
14. I’m able to make the time to read so many of the books I’ve bought over the last 14 months, but haven’t had the time to read!
15. My family loves watching old movies together. Thank God for TCM!
16. God has brought into my life an incredible staff and team!
17. Opportunities are available to speak, write, and influence people.
18. I was around when the internet was born, and also know that Al Gore didn’t invent it.
19. That laughter is the best medicine, and the best medicine I have is making people laugh.
20. That I have more electronic devices than I ever thought I would have.
21. I have a home that is safe.
22. That I know that global warming is a myth (Forbes article on Antarctic Sea ice increasing)  and that this myth was fostered by Al Gore.
23. That I’m learning that even with electronic devices that I have the ability to ignore them when needed.
24. For the first cup of coffee every morning, and even the last one at midnight!
25. That studying the Word of God still is exciting and I see new truths.
26. That I see no reason to become invested in sport teams.
27. Working on cars is rewarding and relaxing! When you work with people, and hope to see their lives transformed, you don’t always get that immediate feedback, and that process can be long time or an eternal prospect, but one where we exercise faith; but when the car cranks up… its a good feeling!
28. That I know the truth that the greatest comedy movie is “What’s Up Doc?” (Sadness for those who haven’t seen it!)
29. I was alive when men walked on the moon, and can vividly remember Apollo 13! (Not the movie!)
30. That while my hair has turned some grey… I still have hair.
31. That convictions that are held to, gives a person the strength to fight the good fight of faith!
32. It is better to walk away in integrity, than walk in concert with those who compromise.
33. That I can walk in the foot steps of great men, but I’ll never walk in their shadows.
34. How great it is to dream a dream when you stand in your youth by the starry stream, but a greater thing is to fight life through and say at the end the dream came true!

Happy Thanksgiving!