Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There are no demands to get the cards signed, addressed, and mailed, no stress to buy the perfect gift, no debates about the height of the tree, or whether this year we should go real or artificial. Thanksgiving holds none of that pressure.

Yet, it offers some beautiful gifts – time for remembering and imagining what could be, times with family and friends talking and sharing your heart, and let’s not forget the food. Oh, the amazing, yummy, decadent food…

From my perspective, the best thing about Thanksgiving is the opportunity it provides to reflect on all the blessings. The small, and not-so-small, things I am grateful to have experienced.

Below is my list of gratitude. I encourage you to take a few minutes to jot down the things you are thankful for. And if they were inspired by those around you, make sure you let them know.

I am thankful for:

• A husband that loves me – despite my moods, emotions, and idiosyncrasies.
• A family that nourishes me – both biological and grafted, 2-legged and four.
• A home that offers shelter – a refuge against the storms of life and the ravages of the seasons.
• A healthy mind and body – I never want to take this for granted. Our physical frames are weak and imperfect.
• And a Father that sustains me – I’m living proof of the goodness of God’s gospel – forgiven, a work in progress, yet free.

My list this year is short, all the blessings of my life distilled into 5 short sentences. Yet as I think back, so much living makes up each bullet point. It is the growth and changes coming from all that “living” that I am grateful for.

I hope you take the time to count your blessing this Thanksgiving, perhaps making a physical list or just noting them in your heart. It is the process of remembering that unlocks the door of gratitude.

Oh, don’t forget about the food – I give you permission to have a second helping of your favorite dessert.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!