Often Forgotten Thanks

As Thanksgiving approaches, more than discussion of stuffing and turkey is heard.  This phrase is also often heard, I am thankful for….   I can fill in the blank with a list of my own.  I am thankful for my Savior, my family, friendship, laughter, a home, the dogs, a good job, insurance, my health, a car that runs, etc….  My list is quite long.  But, there are some other things in this list which I do not often express thanks for and wanted to take a moment to do so.

I am thankful for dishes to do, though not my favorite chore, it means that I have had food to eat and something to eat them on, as well as soap and hot water to clean them with.  I am also thankful when the sink is full of plates, I have had many to share and visit with.

I am thankful for mucking about farm boots.  The farm boots slosh about on my feet, but protect me from the water, mud, snow, and ice through different seasons.  Wearing these boots means that I have two puppy dogs that are going out to run, where I can enjoy walking with them and watching them run.  It means that I have protection against the elements.

I am thankful for laundry to fold.  Though preferring warm laundry when folding needs to occur, even cold will do in a pinch.  This means that I have clothing that I can wear to work in an office, to work in the yard, to visits with friends, to sleep in, to relax in.   This also means that there is soap to clean the clothes, and a washer and dryer to wash and dry them. 

I am thankful for a sore ankle.  My ankle has healed enough that when I am sore now, I am feeling the pain of muscles being rebuilt.  I am thankful for those who have and do support me, encourage, and challenge me to progress in my rehabilitation.  But, the aches now me to me that those muscles, tendons, and ligaments are being used and rebuilt. 

I am thankful for a mechanical pencil whose lead continues to run out.  At work, I keep a variety of writing media handy – ink, lead, marker, highlighter, but I prefer my pencil.  And when the lead runs out, it means that I have to stop and go and find more.  It also means that there is work to do and that I have been busy. 

I am thankful for friends who live far away.  I would love for them to live closer, to be able to get together much more often.  We stay in touch through phone calls, e-mails, facebook, and these tools are wonderful – but do not replace the moment of a hug, actually talking in person, or sharing both wonderful and difficult times together.   However, the distance makes me work harder on my friendship and I am thankful for that.  I am also thankful that there are so many tools available now that allow me to stay in touch.  This means I have resources that I can call into use and a good reason to use them.

I am thankful for my car.  It’s not glamorous and is getting rather old for a car – fourteen years.  But, it continues to run and plug along.  I don’t really trust it anymore for longer trips, but I am thankful that it can get me from point A to point L.  And, when it does not – I have AAA to call on.  I am thankful that this means that I have somewhere to go, places to go, and am able to continue to keep gas in the car and maintenance up on it.

I am thankful for…  I thank God for…  My heart is overwhelmingly blessed by…  Stop and ponder for a few minutes.  Before grumbling, what are you thankful for?