Giving Thanks

I have so much to be thankful for. I often loose sight of it in the day to day routine. I'm glad there are times that we must slow down, look around, and take account of our blessings. Mine are many.

I have a husband and son I adore, and am blessed enough to be able to say, with absolute sincerity and certainty, that they adore me back. What an incredible gift. I've been in relationships where I wasn't even liked, much less adored. I much prefer it this way.

My parents and my husband's parents love us and love each other. There are no harsh words or feelings or competition between us. We love being together, and my parents like to get spend time with his parents, just because they can, because they like them so much. Yes, I know how lucky I am.

My sister loves me with a fierce and fiery love. I am her baby sister. Don't mess with me. She is indescribable, but if I had to describe her, the words would be awesome. And lovely. And amazing. More importantly, mine. How thankful I am to have a sister like her.

I have two sister-in-laws that inherited me through no fault of their own, yet they put up with me anyway. They love me anyway. They are there through the good and the bad times anyway.

I have friends, such wonderful friends, that call and come by and write and tell me again and again that they are here for me. They offer to do whatever I need, and are there for me when I take them up on that offer. They are not related in any way to me, yet they love me. How blessed I am.

I look around during this time set aside to give thanks, and I see what all I have. In the background is an afternoon talkshow, with a very unhappy family on it. The mother-in-law doesn't like the new wife. The grandchild is being used as a pawn. The husband has washed his hands of the discord, but not before saying terribly hurtful things to his mother. Other family members have taken sides, and an all out war has been declared. The so called expert on television is trying to sort it all out.

As war is being waged in the background, nothing but love is surrounding me in the foreground. But I see; how I see, how awful it could be. How easily it could all be so awful.
And I look around. And I say a prayer of Thanks to the One who has given me so very much. I certainly didn't earn it, and I certainly don't deserve it. But how very thankful I am for it.