I choose to be thankful.

It is that time of year again when the holidays come way to fast but memories are etched into our minds to carry us through until next year. Without the Midwest fall and winter weather to prep me for the holiday season, Thanksgiving has crept up on me way too fast. It is next Thursday already!!! This Thanksgiving I am spending it with my parents in California and with a special guest. As I write this, my parents are heading to San Francisco International Airport to pick up my paternal grandmother for the week. I was thinking about this Thanksgiving and decided to make a list of the things for which I am grateful. Since the day falls on the 22nd, I will think of twenty-two things. Let's start.

1. Life. I have been given a great gift of living this life and experiencing so much.
2. Salvation. I am no longer separated from God but can come directly into His presence.
3. Dreams. Without them, life would be boring but they spur me on to continue the journey.
4. Breath. I can breathe without troubles.
5. Eyes. I can see the beauty of the world around me.
6. Ears. I can hear my nephew call my name.
7. Family. They are so supportive of me and my dreams.
8. My nephew. Very few things can top the pure love of a child.
9. The girls. Their love and friendship is a joy to me, hundreds of miles away.
10. Friends. Each and every one throughout my life has left an indelible mark that has changed me.
11. Jobs. Although the jobs I have were not on my list, I am thankful that I am working.
12. Money. I have money to pay my bills, my tithes, my offerings and extra to help others.
13. Church. To be part of a family that embraces me and I can find throughout the world is amazing.
14. My mind. I am grateful that I have a curious mind that does not stop searching for truth.
15. Jesus Christ. For loving me so much that he took my place and today is my friend.
16. Risks. Without them, I do not know if I would know how courageous I could be.
17. Failures. WIthout them, I would not know how to change or grow. I would be stuck doing the same thing over and over again.
18. Jessica Z. She suffered hard losing both her parents at a young age but gets up each and every morning and breathes.
19. Encouragement. Without it, there would be days I would not take a step forward.
20. Prayer. I can talk to God, hear His heart, and get answers.
21. Traveling. I get to see so much beauty and history when I get to go different places.
22. Books. I just love to read and get lost in a good story.

I think I could go on, especially if I listed out each one of my friends. The list would be very long. As I learn to be thankful for what I have, it erases the envy and jealousy that can eat at me. Making a list like this helps me realize how much I truly have and how blessed I am. I am truly blessed.