“In everything give thanks…(I Thessalonians 5:18)

Thanksgiving has come and gone with its three “F’s”–family, food, and football.  Well, maybe not football.  We’re thankful for our family and friends.  We’re thankful for having enough food and a roof over our heads.  We’re thankful for our health and our jobs.

With people living longer, the size of our extended family has become larger and larger.  Medical advances have helped to prevent and treat injuries and illnesses that might have been fatal in years past.  And our ability to travel long distances has given us greater opportunities to gather together.  With social media, the number of our “friends” has increased daily.

Most of us have more than enough food and our homes are often far more than we actually need.  When we consider the  multitude of people around the world (and even  in our own country), that don’t have enough to eat or a place to live, we should be extremely thankful.  Maybe even enough to try to help others who are less blessed.  We may complain about what our jobs pay, but there are people who would love to have even one of our day’s pay–and then would make it last for a whole year.  They don’t have motorized transportation, multiple changes of clothing or grocery stores, health care, or even much education.  So, yes, we do have much to be thankful for.

I look back over my life and realize how much I have to be thankful for.  My parents have both passed away, but I’m able to remember them by the life they lived and the way they passed that example down to  me.  I don’t have a huge number of friends, but the ones I have, I trust.  They have made my life better for having know them.

My wife and I were never blessed with children, but were given a life-time of working with children, teens, and young adults.  And, at last count, we had well over 100 nieces/nephews, grand-nieces/grand-nephews, and great grand-nieces/great grand nephews.  Along with my wife as my partner, that’s a lot to be thankful for.

I taught and coached for 40 year–both jobs that I loved.  How many people can say that?  It was a job that allowed me to provide for my family then and still helps to provide for it now that I have retired.  If not for health issues, I would probably still be doing both.

My health hasn’t always been as good as I hoped it would be.  Three heart attacks, diabetes, sleep apnea, arthritis, and a “predisposition” for epilepsy are not what I had planned for in my “golden years.  But, while any one of these could be deadly or debilitating, I’m still here living my life to the fullest side by side with my wife.  And then there are the medical devices have helped to keep me going strong.  Reading glasses, hearing aids, and artificial knee, and a machine that keeps me breathing at night. If you think this is complaining, think again.  Despite these things, (or maybe because of them), I am still able to live my life with little to no restrictions.  Not a lot of people my age are that fortunate.

So as Thanksgiving day has passed, remember to be thankful for all things.  They make you who you are and are what you pass on to others.