My Thanksgiving blessings

By Patrice Lewis

We had a lovely (though quiet) Thanksgiving. How about all of you?

My guess is most people are doing one of three things today. Either they’re working, or they’re shopping, or they’re lounging around in the wake of an abundant dinner. And when you think about it, all three of those options are pretty wonderful, aren’t they? That’s because it means you have a job, or you have the money to shop, or you have plenty to eat.

Here on WND, once in a while I like to pause from my usual cadre of socio-political commentary to count my blessings, and I can think of no finer time than now.

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• I’m thankful God sent His son to die for our sins. We’d be in a world of woe without that gift of salvation.

• I’m thankful for America and its abundance. We’re facing some challenging times, but it has never decreased my love and appreciation for this most remarkable of nations.

• I’m thankful for my husband. He and I have stood side by side for 33 years and we’re still going strong. Life with a wonderful spouse is one of the greatest earthly blessings there is.

• I’m thankful for our daughters. Now adults, they’ve grown up to be decent, practical, level-headed, intelligent young women. A mom couldn’t be more proud of them.

• I’m thankful for my parents. Through their 65 years of rock-solid marriage, these fine people have demonstrated the art of matrimony and helped ensure the success of their children’s marriages.

• I’m thankful for our health. Although we’ve had a few ups and downs, right now we’re all healthy. Anyone who has lost his or her health will understand my gratitude.

• I’m thankful for modern medicine, which has eased the suffering of billions of people and prevented untold misery.

• I’m thankful for our friends. Where would we be in this life without the love and support of friends? Think about it.

• I’m thankful for our neighbors. Friends can be scattered all over the world. It’s an extra blessing when friends are neighbors as well.

• I’m thankful we live in a remote and low-populated area. While we have our local issues, we have few of the problems that plague high-density urban areas.

• I’m thankful for the natural world around us. In my younger days I was a field biologist, and my love of wildlife has never diminished. We’re blessed to live in a place where nature is on display all around us.

• I’m thankful for the daily conveniences we take for granted: clean water, abundant food, a roof over our heads, heat, lights, a warm bed, indoor plumbing.

• I’m thankful for our house. It’s modest by most standards, but we love it. My husband built the two most dazzling aspects of our home: a large pantry, and extensive bookshelves. Both are full.

• I’m thankful for my husband’s DIY skills. I’m a complete klutz with tools, but my husband has a brilliant mind that can visualize what a completed project will look like, and the skills to make that project come to fruition. He’s awesome.

• I’m thankful we’re not rich. I know that sounds strange, but it’s true. For over three decades, the majority of our income derived from a home woodcraft business. Its unpredictable income taught us to be frugal and thrifty. That legacy has allowed us to adjust to economic ups and downs, and has given us the skills to hunker down for what I think will be a massive financial storm ahead.

• I’m thankful we have no debt. There have been times over the years we’ve been mired in a quagmire of owing way too much money, and it was horrible. We’ve climbed out of that hole, and being debt-free never ceases to fill me with profound gratitude.

• I’m thankful we’re not poor. Over the course of our married life, we’ve flirted with poverty; but no matter how bad it got, we still had food and shelter. There are many who don’t. It’s why we should all be generous toward those who don’t share our blessings.

• I’m thankful for modern conveniences such as electricity, cars, phones, the internet, etc. Although sometimes I rail and lament about the pitfalls associated with these conveniences, they have unquestionably rendered our lives easier.

• I’m thankful for our wood cookstove. Living in a northern climate, it’s no joke to lose heat in winter. Our wood cookstove provides heat even when the power is out. It’s crackling cheerfully right now, as I write this. Bonus gratitude for the woodpile that provides the fuel.

• I’m thankful to work from home. Living as remote as we do, there are times the weather does not encourage stepping foot outside the house. At such times, we can continue doing what we do to earn a living without facing a difficult commute.

• I’m thankful to be a writer. Many people have childhood dreams that never come true. Mine did. I’ve always been interested in word craft, and while I don’t possess the skills that so many other phenomenal writers do, I’m content to make my own small contribution to the written word.

• I’m thankful to WND, who offered me the unexpected platform of my own column 15 years ago. Never in a zillion years did I anticipate being a weekly columnist. Wow.

• I’m thankful for gratitude. That sounds strange, but hear me out. When we lose our ability to count the myriad blessings in our lives, we become cynical or bitter or jaded. Gratitude keeps us grounded as well as elevates us toward God. What would we do without gratitude?

• I’m thankful for the millions – billions – of genuinely nice people out there. We only hear news stories about the bad people, but how about the good ones? The ones that offer a smile, pick up garbage, help the homeless, volunteer in endless venues and otherwise make this world go round? A resounding “thanks” for being nice.

Right now I don’t know what the future will bring for America. My family and I will celebrate our blessings while we can.

From sociopolitical commentary to romance writing! Patrice Lewis branches into the world of Amish inspirational fiction. These clean romances are wholesome enough for Grandma to read. Check out Patrice’s available titles.


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Patrice Lewis

Patrice Lewis is a WND editor and weekly columnist, and the author of "The Simplicity Primer: 365 Ideas for Making Life more Livable." Visit her blog at www.rural-revolution.com. Read more of Patrice Lewis's articles here.


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