the holiday that makes me fidget...and well, thankful

I've changed my mind. No...I still feel the same way about Thanksgiving, y'all. For all those who know me and talk to me on a regular basis, you've probably already heard my "lecture" regarding this "holiday." Perhaps it's the small amount of Cherokee blood that runs in my veins that causes me to squirm, but I can't be wholly accepting of a celebration that most traditional Americans mark as a day of family togetherness and giving of thanks for blessings when the descendants of the true first Americans mark it as the beginning of their people's genocide. Ouch.

However, I have changed my mind about using this post to sound off about these (and other) bogus aspects of this day that we call Thanksgiving. Why? Because regardless of the (well-intentioned but recklessly abandoned) origins of this holiday, the truth of the matter is, I think we should all take advantage of any opportunity to count our blessings and raise up prayers of gratitude to the Giver of "every good and perfect gift." So, instead of stepping up boldly upon my soapbox of historical revisionism to purport truth instead of sentimentality (sheesh, I really can't help myself), I'm going to give thanks. I can just see my dear friends who adore this holiday sitting back with relieved smiles...

So what are the good and perfect gifts in my life? Well, I've got a cornucopia chock full of 'em!

• First, the supernatural and unmerited love of a Creator who came to this sin-cursed rock in the form of a blameless and beautiful man who died and then defeated death itself to give me redemption and eternal life. If this was the only gift handed down to this girl, she would have no excuse but to make every day of her life a joyful giving of thanks!!! (This is also why I scratch my head when similarly redeemed people don't share my enthusiasm for this other holiday...)
• My sweet Adam. Speaking of unmerited love...I really don't deserve the kind of loyal, steady, warm, caring, and compassionate love that this man has for me. It humbles me.
• My family. I could never speak highly enough of my parents, and would offer no criticism of them in any arena. They make the Lord's commandment to me to "honor them all the days of my life" so...easy. Maybe that's why I live literally 2.5 minutes from their front door and their welcoming arms...their genuine smiles upon seeing me and their true interest in my day, my job, my life...I'm never far from a reminder that I am one of the reasons that their world goes 'round. Who would want to move away from that??? And of course, my precious sisters, who I consider to be more like alternate versions of myself than separate people, and as such, would defend and protect with extreme survival instincts and love like my own flesh. And I'm not just saying that -- I told my sisters long ago if they ever need a kidney...
• My nieces and nephews. Oops, starting to feel teary-eyed... But I have to say this: they are my surrogate children. God, in His unfathomable wisdom, has refrained from blessing us with children of our own. He may with-hold this blessing forever or for just one more month, we simply don't know. But God is merciful, and to anyone who's ever dealt with infertility, I promise you this: where God shuts a door, He truly does open a window, and these babies are the glass panes through which God shines His merciful love into my lonely heart and empty arms. Want to see for yourself? Check out my face here. I can never express enough gratitude to my sister Sarah for so openly sharing her precious little brood with a sister simply drowning in her own maternal drives and desires.

Okay, so I'm starting to get uber-emotional and this post is getting ridiculously long, so I'll wrap it up, but I must give quick mentions to my other blessings...my friends who are scattered far and wide but whose love I feel surrounding me every day. My home, which I thought I would lose, but is now even more of a haven to me because I've been shown what a real gift it is. My church, the kids in our youth group, my Monday night Bible study group, my job (well, most days I'm thankful for it!). Dear Lord, I give you thanks for all these amazing things. Amen.

(honorable mentions go out to coffee, air, lemon-poppyseed muffins, morning doves, England, Josh Groban's voice...okay, enough is enough. Calling it a night.)