Thanksgiving

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever," (1 C'hronicles 16:34 NIV).

Today I pause to give thanks for the blessings in my life. It is always easy to grumble about our situations, rather than look for the good things; the things that make us smile. Today, we must think about our blessings and be thankful.

I'm thankful for my husband who shows so much patience with me. He blesses me daily with his sense of humor and his ways of showing love to me. I am so thankful for the 46 years we have together.

I'm thankful for our family: our two sons, our daughter-in-law, our six grandchildren, my sisters and their husbands, John's sister and brother, for our nieces and nephews, and our two aunts. I'm thankful for our parents' legacies and the memories of them we cherish.

I'm thankful for my friends who encourage me and comfort me and make me laugh; whom I in turn try to encourage, comfort and make laugh.

I'm thankful for the beauty of the world God created for us to enjoy. Though the landscape here is now rather barren and ready for snow, I'm thankful for the delight of falling leaves in the wind, the structure of the trees, the geese and birds that remain, and the gray/blue sky overhead.

Thank you, God, for the blessing of a country where we have the freedoms of religion, of speech, of the press, of assembly, of petition and more. Thank you for our leaders who exhibit qualities worthy of respect and for our servicepersons who give up so much to serve their country.

Thank you, God, for.the harvest bounty and the amazing productiveness of Iowa's beautiful land.

"I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High," (Psalm 7:17 NIV).

Happy Thanksgiving.