11 Things I’m Thankful For

It seems like everyone is thankful for everything right now. Of course, that’s to be expected the week before Thanksgiving, the day our nation sets aside to give thanks for our blessings.

While we are to be thankful all the time—“In everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)—there’s something special about setting aside a whole day to focus on the many gifts that God has given me. This year, instead of being vague and listing general categories that I am thankful for (you know, my family, my friends, etc.), I decided I would be specific. Bear with me; this could get long.

1. My mom’s patience and understanding and uncanny ability to know what I’m thinking and how to correct it.
2. My dad’s wisdom in how to deal with people and illnesses/injuries
3. My brothers’ ability to make me laugh and their just being there for me when I need them
4. My sister-in-law and her shopping expertise (and being the sister I never had growing up)
5. My niece and her crazy self—pretty much everything about her
6. My functional neurologist’s understanding of what is going on in my body and what needs to change to make it better
7. My headache specialist’s willingness to work with my functional neurologist
8. The close relationship I have with my grandma
9. My job—the fact that I have one and that it is something I can do even when I am struggling with my brain
10. My boss’s acceptance of me and my disability
11. My hemiplegic migraines because without them I wouldn’t know what I do about my God and myself

As I was typing up this list, I realized again just how blessed I am. Even though my life may seem to stink sometimes, it really doesn’t. The life God has given me is beautiful. I need to keep my focus on the gifts he has given me instead of on how I want my life to be.

So, what’s on your list this year? What gifts has God given you to make your life beautiful?