And we thank you, thank you, Lord

21) Today (on Wednesday), I'm thankful for our company's annual traditional Thanksgiving duck lunch. Yummy food, good times, etc. (even if we did have to go back to work afterwards)

22) I've been thinking over the past couple of weeks what would be the good wrap-up for the big Thanksgiving Day. I hit many of the highlights (with no explanation on the first nine, just a listing), with my parents and Jesus Christ being the top 2.

But overall, I think I have to be thankful for my life. As much as I despise the things I do (or don't do), I recognize that I am God's creation, and, like it or not, He loves me and wants the best for me. I still don't know exactly what's to come, but I won't be alone.

On with the Thanks

a tiny bit of catch-up

19) I'm thankful for creativity. Movies, art, television shows (! — at least now), books, programming, commercials, music, graphic design, architecture, etc. Yes, there are hacks out there, but there are lots of people using their God-given talents to the best of their ability, and I appreciate all of these things. It's such a reflection of God in the world; you only need to look at nature to see His handiwork, and then see what people do (not that we've designed and created a world or anything). Like the proud parent who takes joy when a child demonstrates some new talent or skill he or she has been working on, so too must God take joy at our creativity.

20) My Trailblazer. When my car died back in February, I was kind of stuck for getting a new vehicle. The Buick Regal replacement, the LaCrosse, was a no-go due to short seats, and everything I looked at just wasn't right. When the salesman suggested maybe a truck of some kind, I wasn't sure. And because of my bum knee, I have to be extremely careful with it. Fortunately, I grew fairly accustomed to the truck/suv, and I really like it now. I miss my Buick (ultimate comfort and luxury without being over the top), and I wish my Trailblazer had some things (moon roof, cassette player, thermometer), I am so grateful to have a good and comfortable-enough vehicle.

Le Chat

18) Clark Kent isn't just a secret identity. He's my cat. He's helped me get through some pretty tough times, and he brings me great enjoyment (even if it's from a selfish motive, but why shouldn't a cat want food, water, and a clean box?). And, yes, I know he's "just" an animal. But if you've never had a pet, you wouldn't understand. So, thank You, God, for my pet, Clark.

Merci

16) I'm thankful for all the little things we take for granted: breath, safety in the small things (and large), health, etc.

17) As an only child, I'm grateful for my nieces and nephews. They have such a joy for life and help remind me that life isn't all about watching TV/movies.

On the 15th Day of Thanksgiving...

15) A few days "late", but it's never too late to honor and express thanks for all of our veterans and their sacrifices for this country and its citizens. For their sacrifice and dedication, we live in one of the greatest nations this world has ever known. If we only knew what freedoms we enjoyed and didn't take for granted...

Give Thanks with a Thankful Heart

another installment on things I'm thankful for

14) I'm thankful for times of celebration, recognizing milestones in someone's life and getting together to mark that time, letting them know they are considered special.

Lend me some Thankfulness

O Lord that lends me life. Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness.

—William Shakespeare

13) I'm thankful for Starbucks — not for the coffee, but for having a low-pressure place my friends and I can get together and just chill for a while.

O Come, All Ye Thankful

continuing my days of thanks

12) Understanding co-workers who recognize the sacrifice you've made on a project for them and don't panic when you think you've made a horrible mistake.

Giving Thanks- 10 & 11

continuing my days of thanks

10) Blade Runner — one of the greatest sci-fi movies ever. (odd that it's not my favorite movie nor even my favorite sci-fi movie)

11) Music — it can speak from my soul even if I didn't write it (like I could write a song or a musical composition). It bares my soul to a deeper intimacy with God. And sometimes, it's just plain fun!

I'm Thankful For...

Besides movies, I've been trying to think of other things to write about that are manageable by me. And it hit me while going through my backlog of emails tonight and coming across one about my Thanksgiving plans. I had also mentioned doing something like this at church, but that's apparently fallen through.

So, without too much further ado, I'm going to post daily (as long as I remember) through Turkey Day something I'm thankful for. I think I'll catch up from Nov. 1.

1) My Parents
2) Jesus Christ
3) My friends
4) My job
5) Food & shelter in ample supply
6) My cat
7) Running water/Indoor plumbing
8) DVDs/movies
9) This great big wonderful world full of people, all of whom are loved by God.

Safe

I like movies. I like watching them, discussing them, and, apparently collecting them on DVD. For blogging purposes, movies are the safest thing for me to talk about. If I were motivated to write more, you would read a lot more about movies. I'd go through my list of owned (and watched) movies, telling you why it appeals to me.

(Some of these choices would fall far from the norm of "acceptable" or "good" movies. EG, Sid & Nancy is about the ultimate death by OD of Sid Vicious, the bassist (according to IMDb) from The S*x Pistols. Apart from the effect it had on me, it's an okay movie, not spectacular, and it is not an "enjoyable" movie. But while watching it, God revealed to me how much it hurts Him to see someone throw their life away, wasting their talents. That thought profoundly moved me. I'm sure I've discussed this before, though probably not in much greater depth. One day...)

But movies are safe because I actually tend to remember them sometimes. I do have lots of thoughts about other topics, but by the time I get some place where I can write, I've completely forgotten what I wanted to say. That's probably a plus for the three or four of you readers (I've got mad estimation skills). Movies are safe for me to speak on because they're the basis of my most cohesive thoughts (with "most" being a relative term).