Top Ten Things to Be Thankful For

I like Thanksgiving. Some of my fondest childhood memories are associated with Thanksgiving at my grandma's house. I would often go to Grandma's house early, and she'd let me help her set the table with the special dishes we would use only on Thanksgiving, along with her decorative salt and pepper shakers. We'd gather with family, eat the special foods my grandma prepared, eat in the formal dining room (a rare thing), and then spend time playing games.

I don't often like to think about being a grandma because that would suggest getting even older--and neither of my children is quite ready yet for parenting. But I hope that someday, some little one will come early to Grandma's house, help to set the table with the pretty dishes, eat the special food that she makes, and play games after the dishes are all done.

And how does that tie in with my Thanksgiving top ten? Like this:

1. I'm thankful for wonderful childhood memories of Thanksgiving at my grandma's house.

2. I'm thankful that I still have my grandma's pretty dishes, and I'm thankful that this year we'll be using them for our wonderful meal. And I'm thankful in advance that everyone is going to be incredibly careful while they use Grandma Walborn's special dishes and not a one will be broken.

3.  I'm thankful to have a job.

4. I'm thankful for my family.

5. I'm thankful that my parents gave me piano lessons.

6. I'm thankful for my church and my pastor.

7. I'm thankful that our dining area faces east, so that in the morning, when we eat breakfast, we can watch the sun rise.

8. I'm thankful that we live in a neighborhood with sidewalks so that we can go on nice walks sometimes.

9. I'm thankful that I found some friends who wanted to have a book group. And I'm thankful for all of our get-togethers and all the great conversations we have.

10. I'm thankful that I have everything I need.

May you be blessed with many things to be thankful for--and with knowing the One to whom we give thanks.