The List

As I'm sitting here waiting for the last few "pieces" of dinner to finish cooking, I've been thinking about what I'm thankful for. It reminds me how blessed I truly am. I was going to journal my list as a prayer of Thanksgiving, but decided to share it with all of you as well. Some are cheesy "classic" things everyone is thankful for but some are not. All of which are close to my heart.
So, with that, I give you my list:

I'm thankful for...

• friends who not only love me exactly where I am at, but love me enough to call me out on my crap.
  
• a loving family. Even when it's hard to not be able to see all of them over the holidays due to the many miles between us, I know they are always there, loving me and understanding the sometimes strange things that have become traditions or jokes of past holidays.
• an amazing team that I get to work with everyday. For the balance they have between being in the world and of the world. For the tasks we are privileged to accomplish everyday and the fun we have in doing so.
• my grandma. There have been a couple of close calls to losing her over the last year and half, and I'm so thankful she is alive and healthy and still making memories with us everyday.
• how far I have come. I've been doing some "looking back" lately and am startled by how God has completely transformed my life and realigned it back to him.
  
• GCC - the place that gave me hope, allowed me to question and doubt, and built the trust that helped me to let God in again.
• the troops that are away from their families over the holidays so that our country can be a safer place.
  
• little surprises that bring so much joy.
• having the freedom to say and believe what I want without the fear of persecution or death.
• those people in my life that when I am struggling, they are there holding me up.
• all the encouragement that has driven my journey to become healthier and lose weight - for the people who knew how badly I wanted to change, and then pushed me to always do more.
• my parents, who I have never had to doubt their love.
• loved ones who have served in Iraq, their safe homecoming, and the faith that if/when they get sent out again, that God will once again protect them.
• the technology that allows me to be more connected to my family and friends.
• my life experiences - those times when you can't fathom that anything good could ever come of your pain, but then God redeems in ways you could never even imagine.
  
• the connections and friendships that grow out of those past life experiences.
• the leadership of GCC - the ones who I get to watch and learn from. How to lead well, how to love your spouse, how to love and support your children and most importantly how to be fully devoted to God in all you do.