Thanksgiving day.

Five months ago I was diagnosed with cancer and, for a while, I wondered if I would be alive to see the end of the year 2012.  I am thankful that The Lord has brought a peace to my spirit, and a healing to my body, that allows me to continue to enjoy His many blessings, which are all around me.

Some forty four years ago I met and married the woman that God had selected to be my partner for life.  Holly and I began our journey together with much joy and anticipation.  Some forty four years later, we will celebrate this holiday season, surrounded by the family that has been our extreme joy and fulfillment.  To have this opportunity, to all be together around our table of Thanksgiving, is truly a blessing.

This day will be busy. Young children will scurry about, laughing and crying and just being young children.  And the adults will  spend their time preparing the food, reflecting on times past, and wondering about things that lie ahead.  Later in the day we will all be seated around one large table, to join together in quality time as a family.  Times like this are the embodiment of that joy and anticipation we felt so long ago.  And they are the basis for the joy and anticipation of what still lies ahead.

My cancer diagnosis was not a blessing.  But it has caused me to have a much clearer perspective of the countless blessings that are all around me.  Through the years I have lost my focus many, many times, and assigned far too much importance to people and things that were actually very insignificant and momentary.  But on this day, I plan to dwell on the love and goodness that God has placed all around me.  My life is so rich and full, and I plan to appreciate every moment of this glorious Thanksgiving Day.

And just because I can, I want to list my blessings one by one: Holly, Brent, Adam, Annie, Gracie, Eliza, Owen, Jill, Jeff, Ben, Max and little Rose.  Thank you Jesus.