Looking behind yet keeping eyes ahead... So hours away from welcoming in the new year, I am taking a moment to look back at this past year.
2015 had its ups and downs but as I sit here reflecting, I can say I am thankful for another year to go by. With that in mind, here is my top 10 thanks I have for 2015:
- Thankful for God. If I didn’t have him in my life, I would probably be in a lot worse shape. He guides me (when I listen) and is there waiting for me to talk to him. He is patient and kind. I appreciate that my parents guided me to Him from a young age. I also appreciate that He takes me just as I am and has forgiven me for my sins.
- Thankful for my wife. Beth and I have been married for 18 years. It doesn’t seem like it has been that long ago to be honest. Are we perfect, by far. But we forgive each other easily and try to make the best of things. We wouldn’t be in the St. Louis area if she hadn’t decided to leave her job as an art teacher when we were in Central Missouri. We looked at purchasing an art studio and didn’t feel good about it so we walked away from that. If we had gone through with the purchase, I would still be working at Fort Leonard Wood. Instead, we moved to St. Louis and found a great school district for the kids. She was instrumental in picking the school district as she searched for the best one and we settled on Francis Howell. She has been out of teaching for over 5 years now but we could not have done the transition without her. She is a stay-at-home mom now and I appreciate everything she does, from getting the kids on the bus to fixing dinner and keeping the house clean. I love her a lot and am very Thankful for her.
- Thankful for my parents. I appreciate my parents and the way they raised me. They did their best in the way they tried to raise me and I hope I make them proud. I think this past year, I have talked with them more freely than ever before. Before, I might have been selfish and waited until they contacted me. Now, if I don’t hear from them weekly, I give them a call to see how things are going. My dad just retired as a pastor after being a senior pastor for over 40 years. Both he and mom showed me how to rely upon God for things and I saw many miracles of provision growing up. Thanks mom and dad!
- Thankful for family. It seems every year I appreciate family more and more and want to spend more time with them. I love my kids. We did a lot of traveling this past year and I enjoyed the time I was able to spend with them. My oldest will be off to college in a couple of years while my youngest is enjoying his last year of elementary school. I appreciate the things they do and I also appreciate the fact that I get to raise them.
- Thankful for friends. I appreciate every one of you. You know who you are! Too many to name here.
- Thankful for good health. My family and I are all in good health and I am thankful for that!
- Thankful for where I came from. I grew up right outside Vail, Colorado and I was able to do a lot of things that others were not able to do growing up. From yearly skiing and ice skating lessons (through 8th grade) to school trips all over Colorado and to Moab, UT. I appreciate that I was able to do the things I did when I was young. It has shaped me into the man I am.
- Thankful for Google. I don’t think I go by a day that I don’t use one of their products. Whether it is their search engine or their instant message program Hangouts. I appreciate that Google exists.
- Thankful for a job. Every job has its ups and downs. I have been blessed with my current job. There are times I would like to change but then I realize the good things about my job and those things which I want to leave seem not as important.
- Thankful for where I live. No, I don’t live in Colorado anymore and I am ok with that. I live in the suburbs of St. Louis. My kids are in a great school district (Francis Howell), we have the amenities of the city without all of the traffic. Plus, I get to go home for lunch from work so I am thankful for that. We have a great neighborhood and I appreciate the fact that our neighbors look out for each other and we are able to take advantage of the benefits of living in our neighborhood, such as the 3 pools and tennis courts. Yes, I pay for them through the HOA but having a pool that I don’t have to take care and is manned by a lifeguard is a plus. Also, I really enjoy our house. It has its faults like needing a new patio door and probably in need of tiering in the garage but it provides my family with a shelter and a home.
So with 2015 wrapping up, I am thankful for many things. I have highlighted some of the things I am thankful for. What are you thankful for?
