A collection of

Thoughts, Lists, and “definitions”

…Thanksgiving 2008…

Why We Are Thankful

Thanksgiving

–noun

1. 1. the act of giving

thanks; grateful

acknowledgment

of benefits or

favors, esp. to

God.

2. 2. an expression of

thanks, esp. to

God.

3. 3. a public

celebration in

acknowledgment

of divine favor or

kindness.

4. 4. a day set apart

for giving thanks

to God.

So, we know this is about Thanksgiving… but

“What is Thanksgiving about?”

I asked a large number of my family, friends, and acquaintances what they were thankful for and I also

asked them to share special thoughts of Thanksgiving.

I was utterly amazed by the response. My purpose was to collect and share these thoughts

in observation of the holiday.

---You are reading our collection ---

We Are Thankful For:AdventureArts BeachesChangeChildren Community

Education EmploymentExperienceExpression

FaithFamilyFilm (movies)ForgivenessFreedomFriends GodGraceGrandchildrenGrowth

And for…HealingHealthHomeHope

Husbands 

IndividualityJoy

Knowing Christ

Life Love

MercyMountains Music Oceans Palm treesPeacePlays (theatre)Poetry RelationshipRestoration

And don't forget…Sound mindSportsStoryStrength

TeachersTime Volunteers Wisdomand Wives

I am especially thankful for:

Each and Every Person Reading This….

Thank you… you have done something huge, just in stopping, taking a moment to say thanks…

But we are not finished yet…

WE are also thankful for:• Knowing Christ as Lord and Savior 

• A loving, merciful, and forgiving God

• God drawing near to us in scripture and events of life.

• God’s miraculous provision and changed lives at The

Potter’s House

• Sovereignty of God

• Freedom of religion

• Living life on peaceful soil

• A democracy that basically works

• Having the privilege of playing a role in the development

of students

And…• Working in jobs we love and never having to

regret going to work other than getting out of bed.

• Camaraderie in working as one doing something we feel called to do, that seems significant and important.

• Pain free days of sound hearing, seeing, speaking, walking, bending, -----------just need to know people in constant pain to realize we need to cherish pain free days.

• A reasonable portion of health and strength

• More than enough of everything

And finally…• A wonderful support system

• The families we were born into.

• Being raised in a loving family

• A loving husband

• Healthy intelligent children and grandchildren

• Ability to travel the world through modern means of travel.

• Salmon and sea bass and more salmon and sea bass

• Opportunities to make a difference and to help others

That is

not all…

Still…

i.e. answers to the question: “What does Thanksgiving mean to you?”

What Thanksgiving Means to Us:

• Thanksgiving means that everyone pauses to acknowledge the bountiful gifts that the Lord has blessed us with.  He has been so good!!!

• It’s a time where family/friends can get together and be like a family

• Thanksgiving is the beginning of the most wonderful family time of the year.  I'm always very mindful of how much we have.  No matter how little it seems, our country is so much more wealthy than most of the world.  Even in the leanest of years, there has always been plenty at Thanksgiving.

…a special thought…

Thanksgiving is sometimes hard for me because growing up it was not a fun time. Yes, I learned to cook great things but sometimes there is not much enjoyment. Just a lot of hurry to get everything done on that one meal.

The one thing that I like is talking to my sisters and sharing funny stories about the sweet potato pie with no sugar, or the one about leaving the wax paper between the filling and the pie or cooking the turkey upside down. These are my best memories of Turkey Day.

another special thought…To me Thanksgiving means a time to reflect on all I have to be thankful for. We should be thankful all the time and thank God all the time, but this to me is a uniformed way for the country to stop and take time out all together to thank him.

Thanksgiving also means family and friends spending time together.

a few favorites, and some that I couldn’t fit

into a predesigned “box”

Special Additions to Our Collection

I am Thankful for…

1. The passionate and relentless love of God

2. My children as they grow out of pain and into who God created them to be

3. Deep friendships

4. Living all my life on peaceful soil

5. Story (God’s, ours, others all intertwining and written down or shared in ways that cause us all to grow) (in other words----books)

Special Thanks for this contribution goes to my most favorite teacher ever,

Mr. John Booy,

Mr. John Booy has many more items mixed in elsewhere in this document.

I kept a gratitude journal for 3 months earlier this year. It was very rewarding to stop each day and think of what I am grateful for. Showing gratitude enriches and feeds the spirit because I began to realize how blessed I am.

True Thanksgiving is not just a day of the year. Giving thanks should be a part of each day and sometimes all day. Blessings are non-stop. Each new breath is a blessing; say "Thank you". Every morning you awake to a new day is a blessing; say "Thank you". Every child born is a blessing; say, "Thank you". Family and friends are a blessing; say, "Thank you".

Someone decided to make the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving. We gather and say a blessing and then eat until we can hold no more. Thanksgiving is so much more. If each person were truly thankful for all the blessings in our lives, perhaps we would all be singing, "It's a Wonderful World" and really mean it.

Special Thanks to Mrs. Doris N. Ward (my mother), for this contributionDoris has more items mixed in elsewhere in this document

Thoughts on True Gratitude…

Five things that I am thankful for

1. I am truly thankful that God continues to have my back on my journey with him. I am growing so much and I know that it is ONLY from HIS grace and mercy. By the way, I am having the time of my life and I have FAITH that is gets much better than this!

 2. I am thankful for a little girl who gives me a challenge; because it shows me that I can turn out to be one of the more phenomenal mothers in the world. I love her so much. I just pray that her father learns how cool she is before it is too late.

 3. I am thankful for my immediate family who gets on my nerves, but they NEVER fail to give me at least ONE emotion that I CAN handle and that is laughter. If you have not heard me laugh in a while…make me laugh. It comes straight from my heart. 

Five Things, Cont’d

4.  I am thankful for my friends, who fully allow me room to be myself. I only have a few and I honestly love them. God has given me many women who are my close contacts and he gives me enough love to love them and not push those women away.

 5.  I am thankful for my job, where I am happy that I’m NOT burned out from the youth. However, I will admit; some of the policies/guidelines in this field can be discouraging. Yet, I will continue to press on. I hope that I’ll get this new job. IF not – I am still blessed to have a job.

Special Thanks to Mrs. Q.B. (my sister friend), for this contributionQ.B. has more items mixed in elsewhere in this document

1. I am thankful for restoration. God took what was dead and brought it back to life! As Pastor Glenn said one Sunday, “Sometimes things have to die so God can bring them back to life as a symbol to everyone of his power!”

2. I am thankful for my husband. None of our past is our present!

3. I am thankful for my 2 beautiful and healthy children, who bring me more joy and happiness than they cause me frustration! They are in their right mind, all of their organs function 100% and correctly! They have full activity of all of their limbs. They can walk, talk, see, hear, learn, etc. These are things I think we all take for granted.

Another Five Things…

4. I am thankful for my health; I see so many people who are sick. They are in and out of the hospital, suffering from cancer or other illnesses. I thank God that all of my organs are working 100% and that I am in my right mind and have the activity of my limbs! One of my friends I went to school with just died in a car accident recently. She was going to be visiting for Thanksgiving and would be here, but now she is gone...its just a reminder that we do not know when our last day is, and we need to be grateful and spend time loving and helping and supporting each other and not hurting, arguing, fighting or being negative.

5. I am thankful for my job; many people wish they were working. God blesses me with food, heat, shelter, and clothing thru my job.

Special Thanks to Mrs. Z.A.H. for this contributionZ.A.H. has more items mixed in elsewhere in this document

Five Things, Cont’d

Well, that is all.

Thank you so much for making your thoughts known.

And, remember:“Life is a gift; live each day as if it were

a thank-you card.”

quote donated by D.N.W.

 Happy Thanksgiving!!!