More Thankful.

To understand where this blog post is going you first must understand this:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I'm thankful for my Father's hard living ways. It taught me that drinking alcohol in excess is a dead end street, nothing good will ever come from it. 

I'm thankful I did deploy to the Gulf War. It taught me that I'm stronger than I realized and I have a deep wellspring of effort to draw on when needed. It was a turning point or a touchstone in my life. It let me know that I can hack it, no matter what "IT" may be. 

I'm thankful that my mom is a tough parent. It taught me that sometimes in the face of overwhelming odds, you have to stand up for what you believe in, not because its easy but because its the right thing to do.

I'm thankful for my divorce.  It taught me the real amount of effort it takes to keep a family moving. It also made me realize that I LOVE cooking but I'm still not good a the clean up part.

I'm thankful for the times I had NOTHING.  It taught me how to live within my means and use my head to think outside the box.  You might not like those green beans or that MRE (meals ready to eat) you're eating BUT you ARE eating, which is WAY better than NOT eating.

I'm thankful for the pain or hurt I've had in my life.  It taught me to truly appreciate when things are really good in my life.  If we all had gold, gold would be worth nothing. 

I'm thankful I watched my first Father-in-law, R.B. Thompson, take his last breath.  It taught me about the circle of life. It also was the door that opened a great friendship with my first Mother-in-law, Catherine Thompson. (it wasn't always so, I'm ashamed to say) I love and miss that great woman daily.  The world is a bit less bright without her around.  Catherine, I dearly miss the homemade butterscotch pies you used to make for me when we came home on leave.  No other pie even comes close to yours. 

I'm thankful for Randi.  Together, we make one hell of a team.  Sometimes you're beside me, holding my hand as we walk through life. Sometimes, you are behind me because I need a good swift kick in the ass and Sometimes you are in front of me because I need someone to pull me toward the good things this life has to offer and be away from my comfort zone (which is really very tiny) to show me the world isn't all bad. Thank you more than words can express. 

I'm thankful for Dylan. I was not a dog person before Dylan came into my life. His smartness and his funny ways helped me love an object that could give me nothing in return but his loyalty. I'm a better person because of that little dog. 

I'm thankful for Sophie. Having raised Dylan and getting it right 95% of the time with him gave me the vision that we could help Sophie.  I thought Dylan was a ham before Sophie showed up. He is downright serious and she is WAY goofy in her own sort of way.  I knew the moment we saw that 2 year old dog in Oct of 2008 that she was coming home with us and it didn't matter what it took to help her.  It was a one way love affair at first. It was love at first sight for me but Sophie wasn't to sure about it. Come to think of it, she wasn't too sure about ANYTHING when we first got her.  The second time she got down in her back, I cried big tears over that dog, but the trip with Sophie has been worth it. I would do it again in a second!

It hasn't always been easy but I've learned along the way.  Right or wrong, good or bad, I'm thankful to the Lord for all that has and will happen to me.

J.