This Christmas season has been just as hectic as the last 6 (they started getting that way the time I started really working). This, despite my resolution each year to finally stop and ‘smell the roses’ known as family. It is only now, as I sit hear after a torrid week of work that I can sit still and reflect on how very special my life is.
I’m not sure where to start, and I suppose this is in no particular order, but here is what I am thankful for in 2005. My thanks goes to directly to God for blessing me with the following:
- A wonderful wife and mother to my boys who sleeps so lightly at night so that I can sleep so soundly. A wife who takes care of the house, the bills, the birthday parties, etc while still managing to work 40 hours a week – that’s something to be thankful for.
- Two awesome boys who bring so much joy to me. Each night I open the door and Jackson exclaims, “Daddy – your home!” while Jacob runs to me with a huge grin and his open arms, speaking some language that I’m certain translates into, “Daddy – your home!” Man, if that aint enough to make you forget about all the troubles of the world, I don’t know what is.
- A good job - paying a good salary. Which pays for all the junk in my kids closet and room!
- The DART train. Sounds odd? If not for the train, I would not have had the time to read the awesome books I did this past year. The topics have ranged from hard-core quantum mechanics, to religion, to finance, to politics and as always, the wild west (Elmer Kelton in particular). Reading is exercise for the mind. These books have strengthened my imagination, my spirit and my politics.
- A wonderful grandmother (known as Nanny in our household) who prays every night for my family and I. Nanny, who while living on a tiny fixed income, will give one of her grandkids her last penny for the month so that they can feed their kids and turn on their electricity. I thank God that I don’t need this type of physical assistance from her, but I do need her prayers, and I am thankful.
- For Papaw. For hanging on to this world on that day in January, just long enough for me to make it down from my house in time to say I love you. For holding off St. Peter long enough for me to say the things that your suppose to say way in advance.
- For the Patriots standing in harms way, who, even as I type this, are likely taking fire right now to protect everything that I love in this world. The men and women of our armed forces who risk their lives to spread freedom where there was none. The warriors who deal out swift justice to those who kill innocent people. The sentries who eliminate the threats to my country before they even have time to become a threat. I am thankful for their service and I wish them continued success so that they may soon be reunited with those that love them even more than I.
- For my parents. It would take more hard drive space than this computer has to list out how fortunate I am to have my mom and dad – lets just leave it at that. I can only hope my boys look back 20 years from now and feel as proud of me as I do my parents.
- For groups like the Alliance Defense Fund who will fight the war against our religious freedoms even though many of us are not even aware of the severity of the attack
- For Howard Dean. For ensuring that Republicans will maintain their majority in Congress for years to come (you didn’t really think I would close without a political point – did you).
Well, those are the big ones, but not the only ones. Each member of my family is special to me - my brother and sister, their children. And I suppose if you twist my arm hard enough, I could even admit to having a pretty good mother-in-law (who despite having raised two odd daughters, appears to be doing a good job with her 16-year-old son. At least he appears to have some sense on him, unlike his older sisters).
I suppose that now that I have gotten that off my chest I have just enough time to get out of here and run to the mall. I gotta get those two globes, the cell phone, the new toy, pick up something to eat, grab some batteries, get the…….
Merry Christmas!
2 comments:
Very well said Joshua!! It's nice to hear that there is other people thinking exactly what you are but the best of this was you actually said it and that is what means the most!! Thank you, you just made the rest of my day and my weekend! Kel
Well said.
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