Thanksgiving Blessings

     I’m blessed.  Every year my blog falls on or near the Thanksgiving holiday.  As I write this, praise music is playing in the background.

     Recently, I read another history lesson about Thanksgiving.  The things you don’t learn in school.  When the idea of Thanksgiving began, different colonies celebrated it on different days.  Later on, when it became a national initiative, even then the federal government didn’t want to mandate a universal date.  States continued to celebrate on their own dates, until there was a federal declaration to celebrate Thanksgiving on one single day, and thus kicking off the holiday shopping season. 

     Wow, talk about a lack of unity.  Some may feel that represents our nation today.  I do.  I feel desperately discouraged with what’s happening today:  the politics, the shootings, the weather-related tragedies, the scandals and allegations of sexual crimes.  On a personal level, health and financial and relationship issues can create disharmony and disunity in our lives. 

     However, that being said, Thanksgiving does give us pause to be grateful and thankful for our blessings.  Here is my Thanksgiving basket for you this year. 

     T…Turkey.  How delicious can you be?  One year my vegetarian daughter made a tofurkey.  It’s just not the same. 

     H…Health.  It’s a struggle right now.  But good days feel great.  If you’re blessed with good health right now, that is a world of blessings.  And hair.  And humor about the hair.

     A…Angels.  Chemo nurses are angels on earth.  Trust me on that one.  Who are the angels in your life, right now?

     N…November.  86 degrees in Phoenix.

     K…Kind acts.  They matter.  Emails, cards, texts, messages, phone calls when you are in a life crisis are like a hug.  Don’t ask, “what can I do for you?”  Just do it.

     S…Support.  Friends, family, other survivors.

     G…God.  Of course.  Can’t do life without Him. 

      I…Intercessory prayers.  I know there are people praying for me right now.

     V…Vegetables.  I eat a lot more of them now. 

      I…Inner peace.  Sounds like a zen or hippie term.  It’s great if you can have inner peace all the time, but you really need it in the midst of a life crisis.  There are airline pilots who do trainings for passengers afraid of flying.  One of the pilots said that turbulence is nothing to them.  That is a way to reassure fearful flyers.  I would never make light of breast cancer or any other life crisis or tragedy, but in God’s eyes, I think He thinks, this is nothing, and I’ve got your back.  I derive inner peace knowing God is my pilot, and He’s going to fly me through this turbulence. 

      N…Noel.  Noel is the French word for birth.  I did not know that.  Now we use it to convey Christ’s birth, or sometimes it’s used in place of Merry Christmas.  The reminder of Christ’s birth gives us all something to look forward to.

     G…Grandchildren.  What’s a Thanksgiving blog without mentioning grandchildren?  Gosh, they are so much funnier than your own kids.