What I’m Thankful For 2012

Happy Thanksgiving, all!!

A friend of mine posted her list of thankfulness today using the alphabet as a guide. I really enjoyed reading hers, and decided that it would be fun to do one myself. Off the top of my head, here are 26 random things I’m thankful for:

Aleve ~ I’m thankful for modern medicine, and to be born in an age that we can be blessed by it. I’m thankful for my health, too, and that it’s been much better lately than it has in the past (and that I’ve never really experienced any terrible health conditions!).

Bible & good Books ~ I’m thankful for the men who gave their lives to have the Scriptures translated into English, that I live in a country where the Bible is legal and readily available, and for the God-given hunger for and ability to understand His Word. I’m thankful for books written by great men of the faith. I’m thankful that God saw fit to preserve the wisdom and insight of men like Bunyan, Flavel, Ryle, and Spurgeon for the benefit of future generations.

Caleb ~ I’m thankful for my youngest son. For his sense of humor, his laugh, his impersonations, and his tender heart. I’m thankful for how he covers me with a blanket on the occasion I fall asleep on the sofa. I’m thankful for his dry, sarcastic, wit. I’m thankful for his love for the Lord, his compassionate prayers for others, and his hunger for God’s Word. I’m thankful for his creativity, and the photography and other artistic things we do together. I’m thankful for his love of nature, and our mutual love of cooking.

Desserts ~ God didn’t have to give us taste buds, or the ability to enjoy the food we consume for energy. He didn’t have to give us honey or other treats, but He saw fit to do so. I’m thankful that enjoyment, when used rightly, is a precious gift that we can praise God for.

Electricity ~ The extended power outage this past summer helped remind me that things like this shouldn’t be taken for granted! I’m blessed to live in this age in a wealthy country like America, and I’m thankful for the modern inventions, tools, and conveniences that come with it. I have electricity, lots of clean water, hot water, appliances for cooking and cleaning, electric lights…our blessings are truly overflowing!

Farmers ~ I’m thankful that, despite ‘Big Ag’ and all that comes with it, there are still small, local farmers in America who proudly provide us with healthy meat, milk, eggs, and produce. I’m thankful to live so near local farms that I can spend the better part of my grocery budget there directly, and know right where our food comes from.

Genuine friendship ~ I’m thankful for the handful of friends God has blessed me with who are genuine, faithful, godly, loyal, and true. Those who love me despite my warts, whom I can trust implicitly, who share their hearts and lives with me, and who pray for me and point me ever towards Christ. What a rare, precious gift!

Holiness ~ I’m thankful for Christ’s perfect righteousness and holiness, and exceedingly thankful that it’s His holiness the Father places on my account now — because even my righteous acts are as filthy rags. I’m thankful that He who began a good work in me will be faithful to complete it, and He is working out my sanctification day by day in the process of making me more like Christ.

Internet ~ I’m thankful for the internet and all forms of quick communication available to us these days. I’m thankful for the ability to stay connected with people I might not be able to otherwise as well as the ability to access information quickly and easily.

Justification ~ I’m overwhelmingly thankful that through Christ’s death and resurrection I am justified! Christ took the punishment for my sins, and his righteousness is put on my account, so God can justly forgive me and spare me the eternity in hell I deserve. Wow. Just, wow. What a mighty God we serve!

Kindred Spirits ~ I’m thankful for those very few people that are so close to my heart that they’re true companions & confidants. I’m thankful in particular that one of them actually married me – he is my alter ego, my companion, my confidante, my best friend, my heart’s desire, and my love. Oh that every woman could be married to her ‘soul mate’!

Lattés ~ I’m thankful for coffee. I’m thankful for espresso. I’m thankful for lattés. I’m thankful for my hubbie’s mad barista skills. Coffee is my favorite vegetable. 😉

Mike ~ See ‘Kindred Spirits’, above. 🙂 I’m thankful for my husband, for his smile, his laugh, his off-key endearing songs, and the nicknames he’s given us. I’m thankful for his leadership, his faithfulness, his parenting, his love, his tenacity, his love for Christ, his passion for God’s Word and for the Church and for the lost. I’m thankful for his bear hugs and his bug-smashing skills. I’m thankful that he takes care of all the car maintenance. That he loves me enough to admonish me as well as encourage me. Proverbs says a good wife is from the Lord; I’d add that a good husband is too!

New mercies every day ~ I’m thankful that God’s mercies are new every morning. I’m thankful for His abundant, transforming grace to guide and strengthen me as I press onward.

Obstacles ~ I’m thankful for obstacles, trials, affliction, and difficulties because they drive me into God’s Word (Psalm 119:72), develop my patience (James 1:2-4), and teach me to depend on my Savior more and more.

Patience ~ I don’t consider myself to be a patient person, but I am exceedingly thankful for God’s patience with me. I’m also thankful for the patience my devoted loved ones demonstrate towards me. As much as I hate it, I’m going to keep messing up while this side of heaven, and I’m thankful for those who love and support me nonetheless.

Questions ~ I’m thankful for questions I have now and have had in the past – they are the avenues through which I learn. I’m thankful that I don’t know everything and that I can enjoy the process of learning. I’m thankful for the questions my children ask, because those questions reveal to me what my children are thinking and wondering about.

Running ~ I’m thankful to have discovered this year that I can run for exercise without dying — and without aggravating my arthritis. I’m thankful to be getting into better shape, and to be able to run over a mile for the first time in my life.

Samuel ~ I’m thankful for my oldest son. I’m thankful for his love for animals, his laugh, and his contagious obsession with reading. I’m thankful that I didn’t listen to council to abort him, even though I was a teen when he was born. I’m thankful to have seen him grown to be taller than me now. I’m thankful for the help he is around the house now that’s he’s big and strong enough to take on larger tasks. I’m thankful for the times we spend cooking together (like making White Chocolate Peppermint Bark tonight!), and for the times we enjoy just hanging out together.

Tools ~ I’m thankful for all the wonderful tools we have available to us these days. From laptops to can openers, from hammers to sewing machines, from dishwashers to screwdrivers…we have so many things available to help us do the jobs we’re called to do.

Utter Mirth ~ I’m thankful for times of unequaled joy and/or merriment. For the times my children and I laugh hysterically for no apparent reason. For the times we celebrate together as a family. For the times Mike & I get to spend together. For the joy of hearing the testimonies of brothers and sisters, and the joy of seeing God answer prayer in ways abundantly more than we could imagine.

Voices ~ I’m thankful God gave us voices, and in particular I’m thankful for the sound of our household’s voices singing together during family worship. We’re out-of-tune and our voices are not at all top quality, but to me the sound of us singing praise to our King together is a beautiful thing.

Wisdom ~ I’m thankful that God gives us wisdom freely, and has revealed so much to us in His Word. I’m thankful that He leads and directs us, and that when we fear Him he protects us from foolishness and keeps us on the right path. I’m thankful that wisdom increases over time, and that I’m not doomed to remain as foolish as I once was. I’m thankful for all that I’ve learned from being a mother, and for the ways God has used my children as a tool in my sanctification. I’m thankful for all I’ve learned through each obstacle God’s allowed in my life.

Xmas ~ I’m thankful for the fun of the Christmas season, and for the opportunity to remember our Savior’s birth. Really, I’m just thankful for the incarnation of Christ — even though I know it didn’t occur on December 25^th. I’m thankful that the Creator of all things was willing to humble Himself to take on flesh and be born as a man — in order to die as a man and suffer God’s wrath as a man in my place. That’s an unmatchable reason to be thankful!!

Young chickens ~ I’m thankful for our little flock of pullets, and for the years ahead of fresh eggs and meat. I’m thankful for the responsibility it requires of the boys, the “poultry therapy”, and the entertainment they provide.

Zachary ~ I’m thankful for my second-born son. I’m thankful for his resilience and tenacity. I’m thankful for his sense of duty. I’m thankful for his strong leadership ability, his devotion to his family, and his love for his brothers. I’m thankful for his love for the Lord and his heart for the lost. I’m thankful for his over-the-top compliments of his momma’s cooking, and for his ritual kiss on both cheeks goodnight just for me. I’m thankful to have him as my antiquing buddy, and for the times we share digging through shelves of musty used books in search of treasures.

“Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”
{Psalms 100:1-5}