Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has always been a family time, for as long as I can remember. I remember my Mothers' meals, sitting with Daddy and chopping whatever had to be chopped. We never went to a grandparents for Thanksgiving, but Grandma Davis came to ours after Grandpa passed away.

Family is an ever changing thing. Marriages, divorces, members moving away, others passing away. Family gets bigger or smaller depending on one or another.

Thanksgiving is a time each person needs to stop! We all have something that tears us apart on any Holiday. For my family, we have a shared grief. We losed our beloved Austin, 2 years ago on Nov. 29, 2008. At the age of 14, so unexspectedly!!

But, as I said, we each need to stop---remember what Austin would have wanted, what God wants. This is the time we as a people have set aside to give Thanks to God!!
Granted, we should be thanking Him each and everyday in our prayers. Just the same, as a Nation we set this as a legal Holiday to give Thanks.

Each of us can easily make a list of what is wrong in our lives. Death of a loved one, health of self or other family member, finances, etc.

This is a day we are supposed to remember what we are THANKFUL for!!! I have so many blessings to be Thankful for! A husband that loves and needs me. 3 beautiful daughters, who have blessed me with 7 wonderful grandchildren!! I can not say enough of how much I love each of these people, or how proud I am of them. I cannot forget my son-in-law Tim, Heathers husband!!! He was a dear friend before becoming her husband. He is the son I never had.

I have a job that I enjoy and love doing. I am a bus monitor on a special needs bus. Each and everyday is so different, though I am on the same bus with the same children. They range in age from pre-school to 17 years old. Each a joy to be with!!
Yes, we sometimes have a trying time, but somewhere one or the other will end up making ALL of us smile or laugh out loud.

I have married twice in my life. I will stay with Carl to the end of our days. But, I was blessed with GREAT in-laws, BOTH times. I still call my first husbands parents Mom and Dad, though we lost Dad several years ago. His sister is still my sister too. Carls parents I call Mom and Dad also. Not everyone can say they have had 3 sets of Moms and Dads in their lives!!

The main thing I give Thanks for is my faith in God. My total belief in Him! Without that I couldn't make it. Knowing HE is ALWAYS with us, that makes life bearable. Without Him, I for one wouldn't have much of a life, or any sanity left. Through all the hardships I have endured, and the ones I have yet to endure, HE is with me!! I know this in my heart, mind, and soul. No doubt whatsoever. The older I get the more I know this.

So, Father, I would like to give Thanks to YOU! Thank-you for my wonderful family, present, past, and future. For my health, I am so blessed to be able to see, touch, and hold my Grandchildren. So many can't say that.

Thank-you for giving me a job I can do. The food I eat, the clothes I wear. The roof over my head. None of that may be fancy, but I HAVE it. So many others don't.

Thank-you for giving Your Son so that I, unworthy though I have been, could be so GREATLY blessed in this life. Without Jesus none of this would have been possible.

Thank-you for making a new home, Austin is there, my parents, Dad Coons, Don Richmond, so many others of my family. Thank-you for taking them Home to be with You. I know they are safe and happy with You. Thank-you for the time I had with each of them.

Thank you for the hardships I have had in my life, I pray they will make me the person You wanted me to become. I thank you Lord for every single person, feeling, tear, laugh, all of what makes my life mine.