Well, it’s Wednesday before Thanksgiving Day and I am sitting at work printing a document that is 85 pages long and needs line by line review. Not really one of my strengths!

I made it through this year’s budgets! I still have a couple to key into the general ledger but for the most part, the biggest part of my job is done for 2003. (Too bad I don’t have enough vacation to take the rest of the year off.)

I’ve been playing Christmas music in my cd player at work and I find I’m getting into the spirit. I may even dig out our Christmas ornaments tonight. Sorry honey! There’s always a few crates in the living room for a few weeks while I’m decorating the house.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Thanksgiving. I didn’t get up in time to ride my stationary cycle this morning, so I felt a bit behind all day. So, not really grumbling, but thinking–what do I have to be thankful for??? My goodness, WHAT???? I am relatively healthy and not in constant pain. I have two great step-sons and two great junior highers. Okay, so there’s one there in the middle that you wouldn’t want to bring home to mom, but 4 out of 5 isn’t bad. And, I know there’s hope–God saved me, he can do it again! I have a loving husband who actually (get this) loves to talk to me!

This year was hard. It started out with that one in the middle on drugs and me having to kick him out of the house. Then, if it’s not hard enough to throw your first born child out on the street, he returned not once or twice but at least three times to rob us. Hard to be grateful for that, but I am grateful that he didn’t destroy our house or hurt us. I am also grateful to have had these last 9 months with him in jail to gain some perspective on the whole mess.

Then we left our church family. We took our “real” family with us but did leave behind some true friends whom we miss very much. Not only did we leave the church, but as Mark was employed by them, we also left a paycheck. Wouldn’t have been too hard if I hadn’t taken a 28% cut in pay from May 2002 to now. But, I am grateful to have a job.

I am also grateful for this new community I find myself in. This is a group of people all with individual desires and personalities–some of us couldn’t be more different and some of us couldn’t be more similar! It’s wild. I love you all so very much. (especially the ones like me–just kidding!) I am amazed at how God has put us together and the differences of each of us, yet we are all ready to set self aside and say to one another “what do you need” or “what can I do?”

So, yes I am very grateful. I am so very grateful to know these 16 adults and assorted children and I am so grateful to God that they are part of my life. Thank you Lord