We had a busy Thanksgiving week with a youth dinner Wednesday, Thanksgiving with my family Thursday, and traveling to Eugene on Friday for more with the other side of my family. I tell you, traveling on Friday and Saturday is the way to go. We made the trip without seeing any traffic at all.

This Thanksgiving I was really grateful for the blessing of being close to family. Some day we might forget about Thanksgiving, considering in Spain it’s just another Thursday, but while we’re here, we make family a priority on this day, if not every day. I am thankful that we are welcomed lovingly, that we can share a meal together without drama, and that we have much to share with each other because we are comfortable with each other.

Chris and I listed some things we are thankful for as we were falling asleep on Thursday night. Among them:

• each other
• our church
• the opportunity to serve God in Spain
• our jobs
• our condo
• that we have food on the table
• being close to our families
• Ryan, our adorable nephew
• that we can have two cars
• that we are debt free and the gifts that allowed to be so (we weren’t always)
• our sweet cat and the ability to take him to the vet when we need to
• that this world is not our home
• the high school kids we serve
• that we are entrusted with serving them
• making love (you want to feel close to your spouse? Make love.)
• our health
• our health care
• our vote
• democracy and capitalism
• the lessons we learned in the last year about money, priorities and God’s provision
• our troops
• that we don’t have to visit my dad in prison anymore
• Angel Tree Ministries
• our upcoming vacation to Alaska
• Bible Study
• that we are free to study the Bible
• Jesus

Thanks for reading my list. What are you thankful for?