365 Days Around the Sun: An (Incomplete) Inventory of Gratitude

On a day when I could focus on so many other things, I am choosing to focus on gratitude.

I am grateful for my wonderful husband.  Kevin is a constant source of love, encouragement, assistance, and support.  I only hope that I can be the same for him.  I am fortunate beyond measure to have such a partner to walk (or roll) through life with.  

I am grateful for our daughters.  It is a joy to have a front-row seat to watch them live into who God created them to be.  They are kind, compassionate, intelligent, capable, and beautiful people.  I am humbled by the honor of being one of their parents.

I am grateful for my friends.  I have friends near and far.  Ones that have known me forever and others that are more recent.  Some I keep up with on FB and talk with once in a while.  Then others (before pandemic isolation) I see every day.  I am thankful for all.  Today there is a special shout out to friends in my life that will drop everything when there is a crisis, that will take care of my family, and will sit by my side amid darkness and grief.  

I am grateful for all of my family.   And for some that are able to give of their time and energy to physically and emotionally care for me, Kevin, and the girls.  Talking, encouraging, caring, driving, cooking, cleaning, school work... there is a never-ending list of ways you touch my life.    

I am grateful for strangers that stop to care for others in times of need.  

I am grateful for hospital staff that are patient and kind.

I am grateful for pastors that show up among pain and uncertainty.  Also, those that continue to show up and speak grace and mercy into the world.  

I am grateful for the village of people that surround us and care for us in a myriad of ways.  I only hope that we can be as supportive to others as they have been to us.  

I am grateful for church families that exude love, compassion, patience, and understanding.  

I am grateful for therapists, those that help care for my physical wellness and my emotional/mental wellness.  

I am grateful for second opinions from doctors.  I am thankful for those medical professionals that practice medicine with hope for the future.  

I am grateful for legal professionals that care so deeply for their clients.

I am grateful for seminary professors and administrators that are concerned about their student's health, family, and well being in addition to their education.  

I am grateful for mentors and groups that walk alongside me in vocation development, faith formation, and spiritual guidance.  

I am grateful for prayer, faith, and hope.

I am grateful for little moments each day.

I am grateful for continued healing.

I am grateful for the life God has blessed me with.

I am grateful.