So, starting sometime during the last few weeks, the “Status
Trend” on Facebook has been the “Days of Thanksgiving.” While I did not receive the memo that this
was what we were supposed to do…I did notice somewhere around day 8 or 9 that
many of my friends were complying…
I, however, made the conscience decision not to get involved
in this latest online fad because I felt it would inevitably lead me into a sea
of “false” guilt…and I have swam those rough waters many times. I knew that I
would get busy in my real life and get behind on Facebook thankful status days
and then I would feel horrible about myself. I would begin to tread water in
the worry that all of my friends would think I was not thankful or not a
“finisher” or just lagging in effort… Who needs that stress???
But I did decide that I would write a “Thankful” Thanksgiving
Blog…
Now let me start by saying that Cody and I recently
celebrated our 28th Anniversary.
My gift to this man I have been married to for 28 years was “28-ish”
gifts accompanied by 28 notes telling him 28 things I love about him, as well
as 28 memories. A really great, creative idea you say? I respond with a whole hearted “I AGREE”…however,
I should have begun to prepare for this gift way before the night before our anniversary…
Unfortunately, my preparation for the “Thankful” blog more
or less mirrors the preparation for my anniversary gift to my husband…
Thanksgiving was 4 days ago… and I have not even begun to work on my blog,
until now…and it has taken several different shapes as I have re-started,
re-directed and of course re-written!
I began with the idea that I would write about 48 things I
am thankful for. I decided to go with the number 48 things for a couple of
reasons: First, I was going along with the same philosophy that I used with the
idea of the 28 things I love about my husband as well as 28 memories… we were
celebrating our 28th Anniversary; I have recently celebrated my 48th
Thanksgiving. Second, I am not sure how many days of Thankfulness was being required
for the Facebook status trend, and I did not want to appear to be not as
grateful as all of my Facebook friends.
So I was hoping that 48 would be above and hopefully beyond.
ONE: I am thankful for the relationship I have with God, the
Father, Jesus, the Savior and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. I have no words to describe this
relationship, other than it is the most important one I have.
TWO: I am so thankful for my husband of 28 years, Cody. He is a wonderful man- generous to a fault,
and loving beyond belief. He always puts
me first, takes care of me and continues to make my dreams come true.
THREE: I am thankful for my oldest son, Jacob. He has
surprised us and delighted us since he was born. He is a young man who does not realize how
much love he has to give, nor how much is available to him to receive. He has inherited his father’s generous
spirit. Watching him be a daddy to his
daughter, Aubrey, has been a wonderful blessing.
FOUR: I am thankful for my daughter, Lynnsay. She has always worked hard to achieve
whatever she wants. She is an incredible
wife, mother, teacher and photographer.
I am always in awe of her beauty and her talent. She is my friend and
she is as role model for me! Like Jacob, watching her take on the job of motherhood
has been amazing.
FIVE: I am thankful for my youngest son, David. He is a Godly young man who is trying to
figure out what he wants to do with his life…
He inherited his dad’s self-confidence and dry wit along with my desire
for life to always be a party surrounded by friends and family.
SIX: I am thankful for my son-in-law, H.B. Macey. He adds laughter to our already loud
family. He is a good husband and daddy.
He, Lynnsay and Hudson make a great family unit. Cody and I feel so
blessed to be able to watch them grow! He is leading his family, and it is a
role that he takes very seriously. He loves Lynnsay and Hudson completely and
unconditionally. He likes to have a fun time, and he loves to aggravate.
SEVEN: I am thankful for my daughter-in-love,
Katherine. She is a woman full of love
and grace. Her faith has helped her make
it through difficult situations while remaining positive. She is an incredible
mother to Aubrey, and while Aubrey looks just like her daddy, she acts just
like her mother! It is fun to watch
those two unmovable forces as Katherine trains Aubrey “in the way she should go.” Katherine, Jacob and Aubrey are a delight to
watch as a family unit that is always evolving.
EIGHT: I am thankful for my grands. Aubrey and Hudson have added such happiness
to our lives. They have filled a void
that I did not even know existed! They are the sweetest, cutest, smartest
little munchkins ever! Just seeing them
makes me smile, and often makes me cry.
I am so thankful that God not only blessed us with children, but He also
blessed us with grandchildren. This
blessing is truly humbling.
NINE: I am thankful for my parents, Reagan and Marilyn
Cox. They continue to be the best role
models ever. They have modeled to all of
us what it means to be Godly, loving parents as well as what it means to have a
Godly, loving marriage.
TEN: I am thankful for my incredible in-laws, Jean and Wayne
Crittenden…they, too, have always modeled a Godly, loving marriage to us…and
have always shown us what unconditional love and support looks like.
THAT IS THE THIRD ATTEMPT AT
STARTING…
It is now, Nov. 30, and
Thanksgiving was well over a week ago… Heck, I have already gotten all of my
Christmas decorations out and put away my fall foliage…Thanksgiving is well
over in this house, and I have already entered into the madness of “oh my
gosh!! What.Are.We.Buying.Everyone.????”
But my Thanksgiving blog is still
nagging my thoughts, my heart, and yes- my conscience…(I am feeling guilty…and
like a “Facebook Days of Thanksgiving Failure”)
I have to say that I am thankful
for all of the things I see on Facebook… my family- some of which are already
detailed earlier… however, if I numbered each one of them separately, my
number, I think, would completely exceed my “self allotted” number of 48… I
stopped at the number “10”… so let’s see where this leads us…
ELEVEN: My brother and sister,
Brandon and Stephanie (Which could actually make my total 12.) TWELVE: My
sister-in-laws and brother-in-laws, Susan, Julie, Katie, Michelle, Kyle, Danny
and Maarten… (Which could actually be 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19 as I have
four sister-in-laws and three brother-in-laws)
THIRTEEN: My nieces, D’Nae,
Danielle, Reagan, Preslee, Bella, Hadyn, and Zoe (My total could easily be 26)
FOURTEEN: My Nephews, William,
Andrew, and Jordan. (I am totally at 29)
FIFTEEN: My “Temple Family” The Luckett’s… Bobby and
Karen and their family- Bryan, Mandy and Benjamin; Katie, Jeremy and Jack,
Ryleigh and Henry; Melissa, Kevin and James.. (My total is now 42)
SIXTEEN: My local “Nix” family…My
Aunt Sandy and Uncle Mike and my cousins, Kaylenn and Ron, Blythe and Abby-
(Amazingly… this total is 48)
SEVENTEEN: I AM THANKFUL THAT I
HAVE MORE THAN 48 THINGS TO BE THANKFUL FOR!! (And I have still not once had to
go to the “I am thankful for Coffee” moment)
The thing, for me, is that I have
so many things to be thankful for…and really over the last year that heart of
thanksgiving has become so much more inclined to be thankful for more
situations and less possessions…in fact, as long as I perceive all of my
belongings and possessions as, in reality, God’s property… it is much easier to
take my focus off of what I “have” and onto what I have been “blessed” with…
FOURTH TRY AT FINISHING THIS UP:
DEC. 6- THANKSGIVING IS TWO WEEKS BEHIND ME…I.AM.A.THANKFUL.FAILURE… (I think
you can all see why I did not enter into the “Days of Thanksgiving Madness”…)
Over the last year I have
realized that I am truly thankful for the hardships we have endured. And we
have gone through many… the hard times have left me completely dependent upon
God…and guess what? He has proven to be faithful!! Many things in our lives
could appear to be “bad”- however, God has turned them all to “good”.
We have “lost” a great deal of “things”
over the last few years… but what we have gained is unreal… I think we have all
realized that our happiness is not contingent on what we “possess”- it is not
contingent on our circumstances are… our happiness comes from the fact that our
hope is in our Savior and our faith in what we are investing in..not the things
that make us comfortable financially, but the things that will last eternally…
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